


Missions Gone Awry

by WildClover27 (PrairieFlower)



Category: Garrison's Gorillas
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:41:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 32,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27679559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrairieFlower/pseuds/WildClover27
Summary: Nothing seems to be going right. Basically the same as the first version with a character name change.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Non-canon characters are my own and not to be used in other people's stories.

Garrison stepped out on the front portico and surveyed the car park. Collins was collecting the guns and ammunition boxes to put back in the bigger ammo box, shaking his head and muttering unheard laments regarding the results of the practice. The four cons were gathered at the base of the steps, loudly and falsely congratulating each other on their prowess with a handgun. The British non-com started to walk toward the widely ventilated paper silhouettes.

“Leave them up, Sgt./Major,” called Garrison. “I want to have a word with my men, in private.”

All five stopped and silently eyed the lieutenant. Collins flashed a quick salute as the officer turned and went into the house. The cons exchanged looks.

“Wonder what’s got him bothered now,” said Chief quietly.

There were no answers to that. The men, frivolity gone, walked up the steps and into the mansion. The door to the office was open and Garrison was standing, starchedly military by his desk, hands behind his back, waiting for them. They lined up in front of him; their turn to wait.

Garrison slowly studied each man down the line. Chief was watching him with stony suspicion. Casino had his characteristic insolent grin. Goniff was eyeing Garrison with a worried look and the beginning fidget. On the end was Actor, watching with his arrogant superiority. Garrison let them stand and wait.

Finally he spoke. “Gentlemen, I have just received a phone call from Col. Hammond.”

“Another mission,” guessed Casino with disgusted resignation.

“No mission,” replied Garrison. “However, it is a concern.” He paused, letting them wonder. “It seems there is some question why your targets have shown a decided decrease, shall we say, in ability, by all of you. Sgt./Major Collins contacted his superiors with what he sees as a worry for your safety on missions when your shooting is of such poor quality.”

“Oww, the cheeky blighter! Imagine ‘im goin’ behind our backs like that!”

Garrison ignored him. “The colonel wanted an explanation. I told him it was a game you were playing with the Sgt./Major. The game needs to stop now, Gentlemen. There has been some discussion amongst the Brass that maybe you need to be returned to prison and a new team assembled.”

There was a cacophony from three of the men.

“Quiet!” The order came from Actor. At the instant silence, the confidence man gave Garrison a calculating look. “Please continue, Lieutenant. I assume there is more to be said.”

Garrison walked around to his chair but did not sit down. He looked first at Actor. The man had always been astute and now knew Garrison very well. The older confidence man was also the official and sometimes unofficial mouthpiece for the cons.  
“I made a bargain with the colonel. If those targets are sent to him with tight groupings in the appropriate places, as I know you are capable of, he will drop the inquiry into your efficiency and my capability as an officer.” That brought sharp looks of surprise from all the men. Craig knew they had not taken into consideration their shenanigans would backfire against him. “Now, go back down there and shoot those targets as you are supposed to.” Garrison sat down in his chair and pulled a stack of papers in front of him, effectively dismissing the men and preventing any further questions or complaints. 

The men filed out of the office and back outside. They stopped on the portico and looked down at the British non-con setting out the guns and ammunition again.

“Warden didn’t say we couldn’t shoot him,” said Casino quietly.

“No,” agreed Actor. “And as tempting as it is, I don’t think it would help the Warden any with the Brass.”

“You really think he’s in trouble with them?” asked Chief.

“Most probably,” replied Actor. He looked around at the other three men. “Other than that North Africa business, have you ever heard the lieutenant tell us he was in trouble?”

“You got a point there, Mate,” said Goniff pessimistically.

“Well,” said Chief with resignation, “if we can’t shoot Collins then let’s go pretend those targets are him.”

All four men grinned wickedly. Collins looked up as they came down the steps and gathered around him. 

“I assume he must want you to try again,” said the non-com.

“That’s the idea,” said Chief coldly looking the man in the eyes.

The men all picked up their guns and lined up. Collins stepped back and away. 

Actor glanced down the row of cons. “Gentlemen,” he said formally, “commence firing.”

Four pair of arms with identical weapons rose in unison and the men emptied their guns into the targets. Clips were ejected and new ones slammed into place. Actor led them a second time. As the echo of gunfire quickly faded away, the men looked at the Sgt./Major. 

The man’s jaw was slack as he stared at the line of targets. The first volley had shredded the heart of each silhouette and the second the center forehead. Slowly he turned his head to look at the glares aimed at him.

“Send that to the Brass, Limey, and tell ‘em we can’t shoot,” said Casino derisively.

Collins was speechless as the men lay their weapons down and filed up the steps into the mansion. He looked back at the targets and nervously began to put the guns away.

While Chief took his seat in the window and the other two pulled out chairs at the game table, Actor stuck his head in Garrison’s office.

“I don’t believe there will be any further difficulty with the Brass over our shooting capabilities, Lieutenant,” he said.

“Thank you,” said the officer with a smile and a tilt of his head.

GGGGG

The next day, Garrison was called to Major Richard’s office in London. He did not think it would be about the target practice, but one never knew with G-2 who was involved. It was almost a relief to learn it was a mission. The problem was they needed Terry to go in with them. Craig had no idea if she was around or not.

Garrison walked in the door and the cons eyed the briefcase cuffed to the officer’s wrist.

“Tonight?” asked Casino in objection.

“Tomorrow night,” replied Garrison. He stopped and looked at his men, finally focusing on Actor. “Anyone know where Terry is?”

There was shaking of heads.

“She don’t call ‘ere anymore, Warden,” said Goniff.

“She does not wish to speak with Sgt./Major Collins,” explained the confidence man.

As if conjuring up the man, Collins entered the common room. He approached Garrison with a smile.

“Did I hear you asking for Miss Terry, Sir?”

“Yes,” answered Craig, wondering where this was going.

“She’s in Brandonshire, Sir.”

Garrison and the others stared at the man in surprise.

“How do you know that?” asked Garrison warily.

“Oh, I call G-2 or the Blue Fox every day to see where she is, in case you need her for a mission.”

Casino gave a loud bark of laughter. The Sgt./Major. looked at him, not understanding what was so humorous about that.

“Thank you, Sgt./Major,” said Garrison slowly.

The perky little man turned and went back to the kitchen. As soon as they heard the swinging door, the men all laughed. 

“That oughta make Sister real happy. Him hound dogging her an’ all,” said Casino. “She might as well have stayed here.”

Garrison rolled his eyes. 

Goniff cocked his head and looked at the other three cons. “When did ‘e start calling her Terry?”

Chief chuckled. “When Actor told him, he is the only one who calls her Teresa.”

Craig turned his head and stared askance at his second. The con man raised his eyebrows and smiled smugly. Even the oldest one was impossible at times. Shaking his head again, Garrison went into his office to call his sister’s flat.

GGGGG

The elegantly coiffed woman in the cream ball gown with the gauzy sleeves, eyed the buffet table from a distance. 

“Nein, Liebchen,” said the tall handsome man beside her. “You have had more than enough already.”

“I only get any when I am with you.”

“You will draw attention to us if you insist on gorging on the caviar, with or without crème fraise.”

The young woman looked up at her wealthy German companion with the black tails and red cummerbund. His hazel brown eyes twinkled down at her just for an instant. She smiled and took a small sip of champagne. 

Actor’s eyes went back to watching the lieutenant in the uniform of an SS colonel and scanning the room for problems. Garrison was being held in an intense conversation with three German generals and a diplomatic attaché from Berlin.

When there was a lull in people passing close by, the couple’s bodyguard with the stern countenance that worked well to make passersby avoid them, leaned closer to Actor and spoke in low English.

“If he don’t get away from them soon, we ain’t gonna get this caper done.”

“True,” agreed the tall Italian, not German, man.

Goniff, in white and black uniform, approached the trio with a tray of fresh champagne. Terry kept her glass and the two men exchanged their glasses for fresh drinks. 

“Goniff,” whispered Actor. “Can you get the camera from the Warden without being seen?”

“Of course, I can,” whispered Goniff. “Course it would help if I knew where on him it is.”

“Left coat pocket,” said Terry.

The three watched as Goniff made his way over to Garrison and the officers. They never saw Goniff in Craig’s pocket and weren’t sure that Garrison even knew he was in his pocket.

“You know what we’re s’posed to be taking pictures of?” Casino asked Actor. 

“Vaguely,” said Actor.

They continued to sip champagne and watch Goniff move around the room. He eventually made his way back to them. His hand dipped into Actor’s big pocket. Terry took a fresh glass of champagne. She slipped her hand in the crook of Actor’s arm and allowed him to escort her into the hall, followed by their proper bodyguard, Casino. Passing a potted plant, Terry dumped the contents of her glass into it.

Casino gave her a funny look. “You don’t like champagne?” he whispered to her.

“I get loaded on champagne,” hissed Terry back. “I can handle Jack, but they don’t seem to have that here.”

Actor grinned crookedly in remembrance of how champagne did affect the woman. “Just stay sober, Darling,” he said in German. “Who knows, you may have to drive.”

The Italian and the girl stood together smiling and talking, blocking Casino from view as he picked the lock on the door to the general’s office. Unobserved, they slipped inside. Terry stayed by the door and listened for anyone approaching. Casino went to the wall safe and began working on it. Actor changed out the light bulb in the desk lamp and prepared the camera. Casino got the safe open in under a minute and motioned Actor to get the documents with a wide grin and flourish of the hand. Actor grinned and cocked his head back at Casino.

While Actor sorted through the papers and began photographing them, Casino took Terry’s place at the door. She moved idly around the room, looking at knick-knacks, books and such on the dark wood shelves. Coming to a side table, she spotted a rather strange looking lamp and stepped closer to inspect it. It took her a moment to realize the base was a pelvic bone and femur and the shade was made out of what looked like thinly scraped hide. She gave a sharp gasp and stumbled back away from it; her widened horrified eyes glued to the grotesque thing. Actor and Casino both looked up at her. Casino went over to her and grasped her arm. His eyes followed her stare and took in the nasty object.

“Jeez,” he said with a grimace of disgust. He yanked Terry over towards the door. “Get away from there.”

Working in a hospital had not prepared her for something like this. Terry had her hand over her mouth. “I’m gonna be sick,” she said.

“No, you’re not,” hissed Actor at her. He looked up quickly to see what had upset the girl and swallowed hard, before turning his attention back to the papers.

Casino stood by the door, holding Terry with her face turned into his shoulder and telling her to take some deep breaths. Actor finished with the camera and put it in his pocket. He gathered the papers together to be returned to the safe.

“Suck it up, Babe,” said Casino into Terry’s ear. “We still gotta get outta here. You can do this.”

Terry straightened and pulled herself together, keeping her back to the lamp. Casino put the papers back in the safe, while Actor changed the light bulb back. As the men approached, Terry opened the door a crack and peered into the hall. It was clear. The three made their way back to the main room. Actor kept Terry’s arm tight against him, holding her hand. The girl moved and acted appropriately, but her face was a pasty shade of white. Actor knew they needed to get out of there quickly.

At the door, he motioned with his eyes for Casino to stand by Terry. The safecracker took her hand and hid it between them, squeezing it tightly. Actor approached Garrison and spoke to the man in German. He apologized to the generals and told Craig that Liesl had suddenly taken ill and they needed to return her to the hotel. Garrison glanced at Terry and was surprised to see her looking pale enough to pass out. Garrison made his apologies and turned to go with Actor.

Goniff had already slipped out the back and made his way to the car. Chief started it up and watched in concern as the other two hurried Terry down the walk to the car. Craig got in the front with Goniff and Chief. Casino got in the back first, pulled Terry in beside him and Actor climbed in last. Chief took off from the curb.

“What happened?” demanded Garrison.

Actor was holding Terry’s right hand in his, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. “We were in the general’s office and Teresa saw an object that was extremely upsetting to her.”

Craig could not imagine an ‘object’ that could upset his sister that much. “What kind of object?”

Casino rolled his eyes and picked up Terry’s other hand. 

Actor tried to word things delicately. “It was a very unusual lamp that was probably manufactured at one of the concentration camps.”

Craig got the picture. “Oh,” he said with distasteful understanding. “Terrific. Did you get the pictures?”

“Yes, Warden,” replied Actor.

“I’ve seen movies of those things in black and white at the War Department. You tend not to believe it could actually be true until you see one. What kind of filthy monsters are we fighting?” she asked.

“Exactly that,” answered Actor. “Monsters.”

They rode in silence for the next hour. Terry eventually regained her composure. The men on either side of her continued to hold her hands. It was almost comical. The sun had just come up when they approached a hill and the engine of the big car sputtered and died.

“We out of gas?” asked Garrison.

“Not according to the gauge,” replied Chief. He tried unsuccessfully to restart the engine. “Sorry, Warden. Looks like we’re gonna have to hoof it from here.”

“How much farther?” asked Goniff.

Garrison consulted his map. “Looks like another five miles.”

Terry looked down at herself and made a face. She was wearing the ankle length cream evening gown and spiked shoes. With a resigned sigh, she followed Actor out of the vehicle. Standing on the road, she waited while the men pushed the car off into the bushes. Chief took the point and they started in a line up the hill. Terry tried to keep up the pace, but it was difficult. They managed about three of the five miles before they heard vehicles coming. 

“Goniff, get these shoes off me,” said Terry. 

The Englishman bent over as she held up one foot then the other so he could pull the shoes off. Terry pulled the bottom of the dress up to her knees. They plunged down the bar ditch and up into the woods. Garrison set them off on an angle to bring them out close to where the truck was hidden on a side road. Terry kept up as best she could. The long dress restricted her movement. Branches shredded the gauzy sleeves and tore at the material. Sadly, the girl realized the dress was going to be a casualty of war. She motioned them to stop.

“Chiefy, can you split this thing so I can move,” she begged the Indian. It was a total loss anyway.

Chief pulled out his blade and cut the sides of the dress from mid-thigh to the bottom. Garrison moved them on impatiently. He wasn’t sure how much farther they had to go, when their luck ran out again. They heard soldiers coming up rapidly behind them. Garrison motioned for them to scatter. Chief, being the closest, grabbed Terry’s wrist and pulled her along with him. The other men split up separately and disappeared into the trees. Chief thought they might be close to the road when bullets started whizzing past their heads. He shoved Terry out of the way and turned to begin firing his pistol at two soldiers behind them. He got one of them but missed the second. Terry watched as Chief was hit and fell. She threw herself on top of him, grabbed the gun, rolled and fired. She got the second soldier almost point blank. Not having time to think about it, she got up and helped Chief to his feet. He couldn’t bear much weight on his right leg. They didn’t have time to assess the damage. With Terry half supporting and half dragging him, they made it to the road not far from the truck.


	2. Chapter 2

Actor reached the road first, just a few yards from the where the truck was hidden. The others had to be scattered behind him. He heard shooting and hoped the casualties were not their group. Shrugging out of the dress jacket and cummerbund as he plunged into the woods on the other side of the road, he found the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat. The engine started without a problem. Actor lifted the schmeisser from the floor and placed it on the seat beside him before backing out onto the road. Leaving the engine running, the con man climbed out with the machine gun and went around crouching alongside the opposite fender where he could see down the road behind the vehicle and across the road into the woods the others would be emerging from.

Terry and Chief had been the closest to him in the woods. They came out a few yards behind the truck. Actor took in the obviously injured man hanging onto Teresa and ran to meet them. Actor took Chief from Terry so the girl could get in the back of the truck. Chief tried to stand on the injured leg to get the good leg up. He could not manage so Actor grabbed hold of him and almost lifted him in. The girl grabbed the Indian under the arms and yanked him over the tailgate.

“I’m on him,” Terry told Actor.

The Italian nodded and went to get into the driver’s seat. Working on some kind of instinct, the con man took the camera out of his coat pocket and removed the microfilm, shoving that in his pants pocket. The coat went over the back of the seat with the camera back in its pocket. He watched out the side mirrors and into the woods along side. Garrison was the next one out. He sprinted to the truck and got into the passenger seat, breathing heavily.

“Are you okay?” Actor asked. Garrison nodded. “Chief is hit. He is in the back with Teresa.”

“How bad?” Garrison’s breath was gasping.

“I’m not sure,” replied Actor. “Not good considering he was hanging off Teresa.” He spotted the pickpocket racing out of the woods. “Goniff.”

Garrison leaned around for a better look out the side mirror. The Englishman was sprinting for the back of the truck and did not seem to be injured.

“Come on, Casino,” urged Garrison uselessly.

The Cockney nimbly leapt up and flung himself into the back. In an instant he saw that Chief was down and grabbed the schmeisser that Terry was holding up to him. Goniff crouched behind the tailgate and watched down the road.

Terry remained kneeling beside Chief, holding pressure to the heavily bleeding wound on his right hip with a wadded piece of her dress she had cut with his switchblade. 

“How bad?” asked Goniff.

“Been better,” replied Chief tightly.

Casino came from the woods much farther back than the rest of them. He ran on a diagonal, so he was approaching directly behind the truck. He hadn’t gone far when three German soldiers emerged from the woods he had just left.

Goniff stood up at Terry’s feet and exchanged fire with his schmeisser. Suddenly, he whirled around, the machine gun dropping to the floor beside Terry’s leg as he fell in a crumpled heap behind her.

“Goniff!” exclaimed Terry. She scooted over to him, seeing blood drenching the side of his face. The man was unconscious.

“Terry! Casino!” yelled Chief. 

Terry turned and looked over the tailgate. Casino was running all out down the road toward them. Three soldiers were stopped behind him with rifles raised. Reacting without thinking, Terry grabbed the schmeisser and stood up. Casino saw her and threw himself down to the ground. She opened fire and sprayed bullets above and behind him. The safecracker kept down and looked back. The soldiers fell backwards, arms flung out and guns dropping. Scrambling to his feet, Casino sprinted forward.  
Terry continued to watch out the back as Casino ran towards her. The truck slowly began to roll forward. Casino grabbed the tailgate and tried to haul himself up. The girl put the gun down and grabbed him under the arms, pulling hard. He heaved himself over the tailgate and fell on top of Goniff, rolling away to look in horror at the growing pool of blood under the Englishman’s head. 

Terry pushed him out of the way and knelt beside the blond man, rolling him carefully onto his back and feeling for a carotid pulse.

“He dead?” asked Casino apprehensively. 

“Not yet,” replied Terry.

She ran fingers through the blood in the Englishman’s hair and felt the trough that went into his scalp. It was deeper than any she had cared for before. Then her fingers encountered the hard mass under his skin. She swallowed hard. The bullet was still in his head. She couldn’t tell if the skull was fractured but could not feel any depression. Casino handed her his bandana. She wadded it up and held it to the wound.

“I need Actor,” said Terry, looking between Goniff and Chief. “This is bad.”

Casino went to the back of the cab and pounded on it. It was a couple miles before the truck was able to pull off the road and into some trees. Casino swung over the tailgate and ran up to the driver’s side. Actor and Garrison looked at him with concern.

“Actor, Terry needs you. Actor quickly slid out of the cab and Casino took his place. As the tall man climbed into the back, he took in Terry on her knees beside Goniff, blood on the floor and on her. There was near panic in her eyes as she looked to Actor for help.

“He’s not conscious,” she said. “I can feel the bullet.”

Actor glanced at Chief, holding a blood-soaked rag to his hip, watching Goniff. The Italian placed a hand on Terry’s shoulder. “Can you take care of Chief?”

“Hey, Man,” objected Chief. “I’m okay. Just take care of Goniff.”

“You are not okay,” snapped Actor. He turned to Terry, who was calmer now he was there. “I will take care of Goniff. You take care of Chief.”

Terry nodded and moved away. Actor took her place beside the still Englishman. He worked on Goniff while Terry worked on Chief.

The truck pulled back onto the road and took off at an accelerated rate of speed. The ride in the back was rough, causing Goniff’s head to bounce against the wooden floorboards. Actor knelt in the congealing blood, oblivious to the filth ruining his dress pants. His handkerchief was pressed carefully on the wound, fingers circled around the hard mass of the bullet.

Chief kept his eyes on the confidence man and the pickpocket. Terry’s fingers probing his hip in the back for an exit wound caused him to wince. 

“Sorry,” apologized the girl, her fingers showing fresh blood. “It went through and out.”

Chief nodded as the girl took his blade and cut a strip off the already destroyed gown. The truck hit a pothole and threw her and Actor off balance. The Italian swore quietly in his native tongue working to get his fingers back in place to staunch the bleeding.   
“Terr.”

Terry looked at Chief from folding the cloth into another pad. He still had his jacket on and was trying to sit up. She grabbed his upper arm and pulled him upright.

“Get this jacket off and put it under Goniff’s head,” said the Indian.

Between the two of them, they removed the jacket. Terry handed the new pad to Chief to hold to the wound while she folded the jacket into a thick pillow and turned around to Goniff. Actor used his free hand to lift the Cockney’s head enough for the girl to shove the jacket underneath it. She went back to applying pressure to the two wounds on Chief’s right hip.

In the front of the truck, Casino was driving as fast as he dared. Garrison had tilted the passenger side mirror so he could watch from his side for any pursuers.

“How bad are they both?” asked Garrison worriedly.

“Chief got hit in the hip. Goniff . . . Limey’s bleedin’ bad. I know head wounds bleed a lot, but that is a lot of blood.” Casino shot a glance at the officer. “Where do you want me to go? Safe house? They both need a hospital.”

“Safe house first,” replied Garrison. “I’ll get the two kits. We can’t leave those here. Then we go on to the rendezvous. There will be partisans there who might be able to help, or at least get word to send that sub sooner.”

Casino nodded. “I hope that microfilm Actor shot is worth this.”

“That and the information I got from the German generals is,” confirmed Garrison.

They made it to the farmhouse and Craig jumped out, running to the door, gun drawn. He kicked his way in, found it empty, and grabbed the two kits that were by the table. Running to the back of the truck, he lifted the flap and tossed the bags beyond Actor toward the front of the truck.

“He going to make it?” Craig asked.

“I don’t know, Warden,” admitted Actor. “If we have to wait until a midnight pickup, I would not bet on it.”

Garrison looked at his scout and his sister. Both had worried eyes on Actor after that admission from their medical man.

“Chief, how are you doing?” asked the officer.

“I’ll be okay.”

“We’re heading for the rendezvous,” Garrison said. “Maybe we can get help or speed things up. It’s going to be rough.”

“It’s already rough,” said Terry. “Tell Casino not to spare the horses. We’ll be fine back here.”

Garrison nodded and dropped the flap back down. He sprinted to the front of the truck and climbed in. Casino looked at him.

“Limey still with us?”

“He’s alive. Terry said to tell you not to spare the horses.” At the safecracker’s raised eyebrows, Garrison added. “Haul it, Casino!”

“Oh . . . yeah.” He shifted into gear and headed out the way they had come in.

GGG

Casino slowed down as they saw a road block ahead. “Now what?”

“We try a bluff,” said Garrison, putting his SS hat back on. 

Reaching behind, Garrison rapped hard on the back of the cab. 

“Go on,” he instructed Casino.

The three in the back exchanged looks. Actor motioned Terry over to see if she could place her fingers in the same places his were, freeing him up. Terry eyed him and the blood all over him. He was not wearing a German uniform.

“You aren’t going to talk our way out of this one,” said the girl with quiet certainty.

They did not need their medical expert to get shot in a fire fight. She scooted away from Chief and retrieved the schmeisser. As the truck began to slow, she looked Actor in the eyes. He nodded. Clicking the safety off the machine gun, she walked on her knees to stop beside the Italian. The truck slowed to a halt. With a hand on Actor’s shoulder, Terry silently rose to her feet. She held the gun ready and waited.

Unlike the previous two times, now she had time to think about what she was going to do. Before, it was pure gut reaction, no plan, no contemplation. She knew she might have to kill this time too, but she sincerely hoped not. Who was the idiot who said it got easier with each dead body? It sure didn’t seem that way. A hand squeezed her lower leg. She looked down into Actor’s hazel eyes that were questioning and trying to reassure at the same time. She nodded and looked back at the curtain over the tailgate.  
Casino stared straight ahead, sneer firmly in place, hand resting on his leg covering a stain of Goniff’s blood. Garrison leaned forward and demanded to know what the problem was. He had supplies to deliver before a Feldmarschall’s party in Calais. He did not need to be late because of this.

The corporal called to his Leutnant to come speak to the major. He would not just blindly allow the truck through. Garrison waited impatiently as the young blond Wehrmacht lieutenant approached.

“My apologies for the inconvenience,” said the officer. “We are to search all trucks for spies who killed four loyal soldiers.”

Garrison put on his sternest face. “I am SS and you will let me through . . . sofort.”

“What kind of supplies?” persisted the lieutenant.

Garrison cursed having to find one of the few officers who could think for himself. “They are presents for Herr Feldmarschall Goering. I do not like having to lower myself to the level of a courier, but I will not be late. And if I am, you will be reported as the cause.”

“I am sorry, but what kind of supplies?” 

Garrison hoped his sister could hear this conversation.

“Women.” It was said with a tone that spoke of this being beneath the dignity of an officer.

A frivolous laugh of delight came from the back of the truck. 

“He likes redheads,” growled Garrison in disgust. “I am SS. You will let me through.” He looked at Casino. “Drive on, sofort!”

The Leutnant would have liked to have seen the redheads in the back of the truck. They would have to be special to please Feldmarschall Goering. But he jumped out of the way as the truck rolled forward to keep from getting his feet run over.

As soon as the vehicle began moving, Terry flicked the safety back on the machine gun and collapsed next to Chief. 

“That was excellent,” complemented Actor, his attention back to the head wound of the Englishman.

“What was that all about?” asked Chief. It was too much German for him, but he had recognized the name.

“I’m now Hermann Goering’s latest tart,” said Terry. She took over applying pressure to the hip wound but glanced at Actor. “I don’t understand how the two of you can come up with such bizarre cons and have them work.”

“Talent, Teresa, talent.”

“How’s Goniff?” asked Terry.

“Still unconscious, but the bleeding is slowing.”

Terry let Chief hold the cloth to his hip wound so she could cut more strips from her dress. Somehow, she doubted Christian Dior would approve of one of his creations being used as dressings. She folded the strips up, handing one to Actor before replacing the one on Chief’s posterior hip.

The drive seemed interminable to the ones in the back of the truck. Terry at least was able to move a bit to ease her bones and joints. Actor stayed in basically the same position, on his knees and sitting on his heels, not changing the pressure on the Cockney’s head wound.

“I can hold this for awhile if you want to help Actor,” offered Chief.

Terry looked questioningly at the Italian. He shook his head.

“You need a rest,” said Terry in Italian.

“I’m fine,” replied the man in the same language. “Goniff needs this more than I need to move.”

“Okay,” agreed Terry. “If you change your mind, tell us.” 

When they reached the safe house in Calais, Garrison went to talk to the resistance leader. Casino came around to the back and stuck his head inside under the back flap.

“How is he?”

“About the same,’ replied Actor.

Chief moved Terry’s hands aside and took over applying pressure to his wounds. The girl placed her fingers atop Actor’s and motioned with her head for him to move away. He did not want to let them know how grateful he was to do just that.  
The con man twisted stiffly around to sit, legs stretched out, leaning against the side of the truck. His knees held that strange mix of numbness and pain. He swore the cracks and ridges in the floor boards were permanently imprinted on both knees.

“You been kneelin’ like that the whole time?” asked Casino.

Actor nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Craig and his ‘I’m fine’ is rubbing off on you guys,” remarked Terry.

“And, how are you?” Casino asked.

She smiled grimly. “I’m fine.”

“I’m fine too, in case you were going to ask,” Chief tossed at the safecracker.

“Knew you were, Geronimo,” said Casino with a grin. “You’re sittin’ up.”

It was a half hour before Garrison returned. He stood beside Casino and looked at the two injured men. Goniff looked pasty white in contrast to the blood on his face, and Casino had been right about the amount of blood that was still on the floor. It was soaking brown stains into the wood and on Terry’s and Actor’s clothing. He could have sworn he had cut dead cow’s, pig’s and elk’s throats in the past and seen less blood.

“They got hold of England. The sub is on the way. We’re taking a chance and leaving now by fishing boat. The resistance has a stretcher we can use for Goniff.” He looked at his scout. “Can you manage if we help you?”

“Yeah,” replied the Indian. He could do anything he had to do if it would make things easier for Goniff.

‘We’re leavin’ in broad daylight?” asked Casino.

Garrison looked to his medical expert.

Actor shook his head with a frown. “If we don’t, I cannot guarantee Goniff will live until we pick up the sub tonight. I can’t guarantee he will make it now. What would you like us to do, Casino?”

“If it keeps the Limey alive, we go now,” said Casino. 

It was second nature for him to object to anything unusual without thinking it through first and they all knew that. He and Garrison moved aside as two Frenchmen approached with a canvas stretcher. They lifted it over the tailgate and slide it in. Actor bent his legs up to let it past and scooted around to get up. 

“I’m going to back the truck down to the dock,” said Garrison.

Actor sat back down to wait. The three in the back exchanged looks. This was not going to be easy and even more difficult would be transferring the pickpocket into the sub on open seas.


	3. Chapter 3

Garrison backed the truck slowly down the wooden dock to the fishing boat. He hoped Actor had a good plan for moving Goniff without losing pressure on the head wound. Even getting Chief on board the vessel that was slightly dipping and bouncing in the mildly rough water was going to be interesting, no matter if he was somehow able to walk. Once parked the officer and Casino got out of the cab and walked around to the back. 

The tailgate was lowered, and the flaps secured at the top of the frame. Actor was again on his knees to Goniff’s left. He positioned the stretcher so it could be unrolled under the injured man when he was tilted from side to side. Terry was at the blond head, continuing the pressure on the wound. Casino heaved himself up onto the floorboards, maneuvering so he didn’t kick the Indian, but was in position to help tilt Goniff.

On the count of three, Casino took hold of the Englishman’s hip and shoulder, pulling him onto his right side. Terry supported his head with one hand and kept her fingers in the correct places. Actor quickly unrolled the stretcher as far underneath the slight man as he could. They lay him back and then did it in the opposite direction.

Actor climbed out of the truck and surveyed the short plank walk that crossed the water from the dock to the boat. It was not wide enough for the stretcher with one of them alongside to hold Goniff’s head. His arms were the longest, so he would get in the boat first. 

“What end do you want me to take?” asked Garrison.

“I don’t,” said Actor, quickly making the plan in his head. “When we get the stretcher out, I want you to place your fingers over Teresa’s and take her place. I will get in the boat. Casino can take the foot of the stretcher and one of the partisans can take the head. We will slowly bring Goniff on board. I will reach for the wound and replace your fingers as we bring him on. You and I have the longest arms. When we get him situated on the deck, you and Casino can go back for Chief. You will probably have to carry him on if he is still unable to wear weight on that leg.”

The plan was outlined to the others. One of the burly fishermen offered his help in carrying the end of the stretcher. Casino took the foot end and they slowly slid Goniff out until Craig could replace Terry’s fingers with his. The fisherman took the handles at the head of the stretcher and they walked to the plank. Terry and Actor went over first, the girl standing aside to where she could watch without being in the way. Slowly the two men inched the stretcher along, stopping when they reached the limit of Garrison’s reach. Actor leaned on the railing and stretched until his fingers found Garrison’s. They switched the hold against the pickpocket’s head. Goniff gave a slight moan but did not come fully conscious. When he was silent again, they brought him the rest of the way onboard and placed the stretcher on the stained wooden floor against the wheelhouse for as much shelter as possible. There was no way they would be able to get either of the injured into the hold and there was not enough room in the wheelhouse.

Garrison and Casino went back for Chief. The Indian had managed to slide himself to the edge and was sitting, most of his weight on the opposite hip, legs hanging down. The men got on either side of him and helped lift him down to stand on the good leg. With Garrison on one side and Casino on the other, Chief’s arms around their shoulders, they managed to walk him on one leg to the plank.

“I can hop,” said the Indian with more certainty than he felt.

“Ain’t happening, Geronimo,” said Casino. “You’ll have us all in the drink and I don’t plan on swimming.”

“We’ll have to carry you on,” said Garrison. When Chief opened his mouth to object, Craig cut him off. “That’s an order, Chief.”

Embarrassed by having to board being held like a sack of potatoes between the two men, Chief allowed them to carry him on and place him leaning against the wheelhouse wall at Goniff’s feet. Once down, he applied pressure to his own wounds which had started oozing again.

Terry gratefully accepted blankets and tarps from one of the crew. The captain wasted no time in getting underway, while the girl placed a blanket around Chief. She and Casino covered Goniff with a blanket, put one around Actor and covered them all with the tarps. Garrison picked up their kits and went into the wheelhouse to talk with the captain. Casino and Terry climbed under the tarps with the others. The coverings filled two purposes; to shelter them from the elements and prevent them from being spotted by any planes flying low for a look. The quarters were cramped underneath, but it was workable.

“Can’t say as I’ve ever tented on a boat before,” remarked Terry.

“Never done it period,” admitted Casino. 

“Always slept in the open or under a lean-to,” said Chief.

The three looked at Actor. The con man looked up at the silent inquiring eyes. 

“I have always stayed at inns or lodges.”

“Excuse us, Your Highness,” said Casino with a grin that offset the insulting tone.

Terry bent around in front of Casino to look at the Indian. “Chief, are you still bleeding bad?”

“Little bit,” said the scout. “Started when we came on.”

“You don’t have to hold your own wounds,” said Terry contritely. “Let’s shift and I can hold it.”

Casino put a hand out in front of her to stop her. He looked at Chief. “Those two have been doing this a long time and we got a way to go. I’ll do it if you promise not to knife me.”

The two men exchanged looks and Chief nodded. There was some shifting of bodies and the safecracker took his turn at applying pressure.

As soon as they left the safety of the harbor, the roughness of the sea increased. The rolling of the boat brought soft noises of distress from the still unconscious Englishman. 

“We better hope he doesn’t wake up,” said Terry quietly. “You know how seasick he gets.”

“Yes, unfortunately we all know that,” agreed Actor.

They had been on the water twenty minutes, headed on a southerly course to meet up with the sub, when Garrison stuck his head out and yelled there was a German plane approaching. He went back in the wheelhouse and slid down to the floor in a corner to be as small and unobtrusive as possible.

The group under the tarp froze. Slowly they heard the plane engine approaching. It skimmed over the boat. The four conscious ones held their breaths. They could hear activity on the deck, but it was not frenzied. The crew was used to being spied on by the Germans. The boat slowed and the engine idled as the crew began laying out their nets as if this was where they were planning on fishing.

Unable to see out, the men and woman strained to hear. The plane engine grew louder as the reconnaissance plane made another pass. It faded off into the distance. After a few minutes, there was shouting on the deck and the nets were winched back in.  
The wheelhouse door opened, and Garrison’s voice reached them. “It’s gone. The sub is five minutes out. Just hang on.”

“Let’s hope that plane don’t decide to come back for a better look,” grumbled Casino.

“Always so optimistic,” said Actor in disgust.

“Hey . . . “

“Knock it off,” said Chief, giving the safecracker a dirty look. He’d just as soon hold his own wounds if it would keep Casino from starting something.

With a ‘humph’ of his own disgust, Casino quit talking. There was silence until they heard the submarine break surface off their port side. The boat slowly came to a stop, engine idling again. The group under the tarp waited. It wasn’t long before the tarp was carefully pulled off them by the fishermen. Garrison was on the deck, watching as the sub’s doctor crossed over to the boat. It was the same sub as the last time.

The major looked at the lieutenant and shook his head. “At least it isn’t you again,” he said.

“No,” replied Garrison, “it’s two of my men and it isn’t good.”

Four pair of eyes watched their approach. Terry stood up and moved out of the way. The major took in the amount of blood on the girl and the man holding the head wound. He sat on his heels at Goniff’s head.

“The bullet is still under the skin,” said Actor. “The bleeding is finally easing somewhat.” 

He removed his fingers so the doctor could see. When the man was done examining the wound, Actor went back to holding pressure on it.

“How do you propose we get him into the sub?” asked the con man.

“Same way we got your Lieutenant in the last time. We’ll bandage the wound and tie him to the stretcher. It should hold until we get him to the infirmary.” The Major turned his attention to Chief. “And what are we dealing with on you, young man?”

“Bullet,” said Chief in his short manner.

“Anterior posterior through and through right hip,” said Terry.

The doctor nodded. “We’re bringing another stretcher over. We’ll take him down the same way. He tries to go down that ladder and he’ll open it up more.”

Chief opened his mouth to protest. He did not want to be tied up and lowered like a side of beef.

“Don’t argue,” ordered Garrison.

The black eyes glared at him and then looked down in acquiescence. Chief turned his head and watched the doctor and Actor applying bandages from the major’s grip to Goniff’s head. When the doctor was satisfied, he called to two of his crew members to take the gurney. 

“You want I should help?” offered Casino.

“No,” replied the doctor. “Let my crew do it. They’re used to moving between the submarine and a boat on open water.”

Actor unfolded stiffly to his feet, joints objecting to the pain of being on his knees for so long. He moved over to Terry’s side and touched her arm lightly.

“Stay with Chief until we get him onboard. I will stay with Goniff.”

“Okay,” the girl said quietly. No one saw her hand touch his back and he didn’t acknowledge it other than a quick, tired glance.

Two navy men picked up the stretcher and waited until Goniff had been secured to it before moving away toward the plank going to the submarine, Actor coming along behind. Two more navy men came with one of their stretchers and Chief was loaded and secured onto it. Terry followed. Casino got up and picked up the two kits that had been set outside the wheelhouse. He waited for Garrison to finish thanking the captain and the two crossed over to the sub.

Actor and the doctor had Goniff in the same little room that Garrison had been in before. The two worked together on the Cockney. Only an occasional moan escaped Goniff’s lips and he never opened his eyes.

Chief was taken to an adjoining room where two medics were waiting. There wasn’t much space inside. Terry did push in and lift the scout’s pant leg to get the switchblade she knew was hidden in a boot sheath.

“Give me the rest of your blades,” she said with what she hoped sounded like a no-nonsense voice.

He released the one in his wrist sheath and handed it to her.

She looked him in the eyes. “Any more?” She knew he could have at least two more hid on him person somewhere.

“Not this time,” replied the man sullenly. He felt naked without his blades.

“I’ll take good care of them,” she promised with a smile.

There was no room for her in the rooms with either man and she knew Craig would be at the doorways to both rooms, checking on his injured. Sure enough, Terry spotted her brother ending a conversation with the CO of the sub down the hallway. She frowned at the clothes he was wearing and decided she had better do something about that before they landed.

Casino was sitting on the hard metal seat behind a metal table that was attached to the floor. One of the sailors had been nice enough to lend him a deck of cards and a solitaire game was laid out in front of him. He wanted to be in the infirmary with Goniff but knew he wouldn’t be allowed to.

He looked up as Terry entered the room. She picked up one of the kits and felt it. The hard case of Actor’s makeup kit could be felt inside, so she set that one back down and opened the other one. Digging through the contents, she pulled out her brother’s pants and shirt before putting the two switchblades in the bag. Closing up the kit, she went back toward the infirmary. Casino grinned. Yeah, the Warden was the only one now who was clean, but he also was the only one wearing a German uniform.  
Craig looked back as an arm shoved clothes in front of him in the doorway to Goniff’s room. He recognized his own clothing and took them from his sister.

“I don’t think it would be a good idea to be seen wandering around Folkestone in an SS colonel’s uniform,” said the girl. “How’s Goniff?”  
The doctor turned and approached the two in the doorway, Actor behind him.

“He’s going to need surgery to remove that bullet. The bleeding is slowed and contained. I can’t feel any skull depression, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there wasn’t a fracture. He’s got a bad concussion.” The doctor addressed Garrison, but glanced at Terry as he spoke, remembering she was a nurse.

“But he’ll live?” asked Garrison with concern.

“Looks that way,” assured the doctor. “Now let me have a look at the other young man.”

Terry went back to the waiting area where Casino was. Craig stepped into the infirmary room with Actor. The confidence man was staying to keep an eye on Goniff. 

“Another easy mission,” said the Italian with a hint of a smile.

Craig took the uniform off and put his clothes on. A thought struck him, unusual for him to have lost track of things. He looked sharply at Actor. “Where is the microfilm?”

Actor patted his pants pocket. “I thought it was in the camera,” said the lieutenant.

“I took it out for safe keeping,” said Actor. “However, I am afraid we have lost the camera.” He had left the jacket and cummerbund in the truck.

“They’ll give us another one the next time,” said Craig. Actor started to reach into his pocket. Garrison shook his head. “You took the pictures; you can give it to Major Richards. You did it. You might as well get the credit for it.”

With an outlook that not long ago would have been alien to him, the con man shrugged and said, “Credit doesn’t matter, as long as we have the film,” said the con man.

Garrison nodded and squeezed the man’s shoulder as he turned to go check on Chief. Craig was thankful he had chosen Actor for his confidence man. The man had turned out to be one of their biggest assets, even if he still had occasional lapses into larceny.

Casino looked up as Terry came back. She slumped on the bench next to him.

“The doctor says Goniff needs surgery to get the bullet out and he’s got a pretty bad concussion.” She knew Casino was worried.

“What about Chief?” he asked, tossing his cards on the table; game forgotten.

Terry shook her head. “I think he’ll be fine. Doctor’s just going in to see him now.”

Casino saw the worry still etched on her face along with the fatigue. He reached an arm out around her shoulders and eased her closer. She tucked her head into his shoulder.

“If Goniff dies . . .,” she said. Despite the doctor, she was still concerned with that possibility.

“Goniff ain’t gonna die,” said Casino with more confidence than he felt. “That little Limey’s tougher than he looks.”

“I hope so,” said Terry. “I’ve gotten kind of attached to the bugger.”

“Yeah, we all have,” admitted the safecracker.

They sat together in silence. As mad as she could get at him, Casino sometimes had his moments, like this one. 

‘You gonna change clothes?” Casino finally asked her. He wasn’t sure if she knew how much of a mess she was.

He got a shake of the head in reply. “I don’t want to put clean clothes on until I get a nice warm shower and I get this filth off me.”

“Okay, Babe.”

They stayed together, both appreciating the closeness. Craig and Actor returned to the room. Casino nudged Terry away from him. Terry glanced at her brother and then looked back at Casino.

“Thanks,” she said.

He nodded, avoiding Garrison and the Italian. Craig gave a short silent laugh. It always amused him when his mouthy, tough con showed his softer side.

GGG

Major Richards was standing beside the front fender of his car, watching from a distance. Casino, Garrison, Actor and Terry were standing along the edge of the dock, watching the stretchers with the injured men being unloaded from the sub. The confidence man looked around and spotted the British officer. He started to walk over. Richards noticed the blood on all of them. This had not been a good mission, and he did not even know if it had been a successful one. Actor stopped in from of him, reached into his pocket and handed the microfilm to the officer. Richards wasn’t even surprised it was Actor who had the film. He accepted it and nodded.

“Excuse me, Major,” said the Italian, turning back to watch the sub.

Terry turned away from the dock and walked up to stand in front of the officer. Richards took in the scratched, dirty face and limbs of the girl, with the tattered, bloody remains of an evening gown and the bare feet. 

“You sure know how to pick the crappy missions,” she said.

Garrison heard her and tried to hurry over to prevent her from saying anything really damaging. He was just so tired. And Actor didn’t even make a move to silence her.

“Well,” said Richards, “You get the crappy ones because you’re the best we have. You know that Terry. You’ve been out with some of the others.”  
“Yeah, you don’t have to remind me. I have enough fun with these guys. At the very least you should pay me for this abuse.”

Major Richards chuckled. “If the army paid you, then I’d have to try to keep you in line and make you learn how to salute.”

“Never happen,” smiled Terry.

Garrison came to stand beside his second.

Richards grinned. “I’ve got a staff car at your disposal to take you to the hospital and back to the mansion.”

“Thank you, Sir,” said Garrison. 

The officer turned and walked to the back door of his car that was opened by his driver.

“Hey, Kevin,” called Terry.

Richards turned back and looked at her with raised eyebrows. Terry wearily raised one finger to her eyebrow and gave him a cocky salute to go with the cocky look on her face. He shook his head and turned away with a laugh.

Casino joined them as they watched the injured men being loaded into ambulances. He glanced at the staff car that remained behind as Richards’ car left. 

“That ours?”

“Yes,” replied Garrison. “You want to drive?”

“Sure.”

They followed the ambulances to the hospital. Goniff was taken straight into surgery. Chief was seen in the emergency room by another physician and taken into surgery. The four uninjured people were taken to a waiting room.

Terry got up and wandered down the hall. She received some strange looks from the staff and had to tell two people she did not need to be seen. First she found a phone and made a collect call to her flat and prayed her sister was there. She answered on the third ring.

“Chris?”

“Yeah,” said the younger girl. “Where are you?”

“Folkestone,” replied Terry. “It wasn’t good. Two wounded.”

“Rainey?”

“Hip. Goniff took one to the head. Not good at all.”

“Oh dear,” groaned Chris. “What can I do?”

“Get me some clothes together and a set of linen for the bed and take it over to the mansion. You’ll have to deal with Collins.”

“Okay.” There was a pause. “Should I stay?”

“I would appreciate that,” said Terry in relief.

“When will you be back?” asked the younger girl.

“I don’t know. Both of them are in surgery right now. Listen, have Collins make up some sandwiches. Preferably without Spam,” said Terry.

Christine did not like the sound of her older sister’s voice. “Are you okay?”

Terry took a breath, “Yeah, I’m always okay. I’m a Garrison.”

“Okay. I’ll be there waiting for you,” said Chris.

Terry hung up the phone and went to find coffee. She came back to the waiting room with four cups of strong black coffee, a sugar bowl and cream pitcher on a tray the kitchen had given her. The men accepted it gratefully and then they all sat back to wait.


	4. Chapter 4

Chris opened the front door without knocking and walked in carrying Terry’s bag and her bag. The linens were still in the car. She looked around but the common room was empty and Garrison’s office door was closed.

“Hello?” she called out.

She heard the sound of the kitchen door swinging and the skinny man in British uniform came hurrying around the corner to stop and looked at her questioningly.

“Can I help you, Miss?” the man asked.

Christine took a breath and smiled. “You must be Sgt./Major Collins?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“I’m Christine Garrison. My sister and I will be moving back in for a little bit. I received a call from her. They are in Folkestone. Two of the men were injured and both are in surgery. The rest of them will be back later this afternoon. Terry requested you make up some sandwiches for them, without Spam.”

“Well, all right, Miss,” said Collins with a frown. “But you aren’t military either. I don’t think you can stay here.”

“I can stay here, I have stayed here before, and I will be staying here,” said Chris, trying her best to sound firm. “You can call Major Richards about it, but I would advise waiting several hours. He is on his way back to London from Folkestone right now. Or, I have the number to the hospital, and you may talk to my brother. I have already called and spoken with him. Goniff and Chief will be staying at the hospital. My brother and sister, Casino and Actor will be returning here. Craig gave me permission, if you want to call it that, to stay until things settle down after the men are all home here.” She pinched her mouth together and headed for the stairs. 

“But . . .?”

Chris stopped on the second step and looked back at him. “There is another bag in the front seat of my car. Could you get it for me?” She smiled. “Thank you, Sgt./Major.”

She continued up the stairs, ignoring the man and hoping he did not speak to her or follow her. She heard the front door as she reached the top of the stairs and gave a sigh of relief. Going to Terry’s room she was surprised there were no linens on the bed. She thought the man would have at least straightened the room up in case it was needed. But then Terry had taken the sheets with her. 

Chris opened the window to air the room out and set the bags on the bed. She opened her sister’s bag and put the clothes back in the closet and in her dresser. About that time, the British non-com returned with the third bag. He set it on the floor just inside the door.

“Where will you be staying, Miss?” he asked.

“The room next door is mine when I’m here. And thank you for getting the bag for me.” She smiled and took the empty bag off the bed.

The man backed up as she approached him and picked up the third bag.

“Sandwiches?”

“Uhm, yes, Miss. No Spam. What kind of sandwiches then?”

“Whatever you have,” replied Christine, opening the bag and taking out the sheets. “And I will be down in a bit to start dinner.”

“I do the cooking, Miss,” Collins objected.

“So, I’ve been told. The men need something they can eat that is filling.” She turned her head and frowned at him. “You haven’t thrown out the food that was in the freezer, have you?”

“No, Miss.” 

She smiled again. “Good. There should be pork chops in the freezer. Could you take them out and thaw them please? I’ll get vegetables out of the garden. There is still a garden isn’t there?”

“Yes.” He was beginning to get annoyed.

“Wonderful. Thank you for your help. I’ll be down in a bit.” She turned away.

Collins left her and went down the stair muttering to himself. Blimey, the one sister was bad enough. Now there were two of them. This just wasn’t right. No Spam. What was he supposed to make a sandwich out of if not Spam?

GGGGG

Pain laced his head. Besides a headache like he’d never had before, the side of his head felt as though someone had hit him with a big cosh. He blinked his eyes against the stabbing pain that came from the light in the room, even though the drapes had been partially closed.

“Well now,” said a cheery female voice. “Your mates will be happy to know you woke up.”

“Where?” asked the Cockney in confusion.

“Folkestone,” said the woman. 

Goniff tried to focus his eyes on her. She was young. It was hard to tell what color her hair was under the wimple. England? But they were in France. He wanted to ask what was wrong with his head, but it was too much right now and he went back under.

The pretty young nun/nurse went to the waiting room where the blood-stained dirty men were. The only clean one of the group was the Yank army officer. The three men looked up sharply when she entered.

“Leftenent Garrison?” she smiled. “Mr. Grainger woke up for a moment. He asked where he was and went back to sleep.”

It took all of Craig’s self control not to slump with relief like his other two men. “Thank you, Sister.” He looked at her. “How is Mr. Sands?”

“He was coming around the last time I looked.” She frowned. “The lady in the torn clothing is still sitting with him.”

“Thank you.”

The nurse bobbed her head and left them. 

“I told Terry that little Limey was tough,” said Casino with a grin.

Actor shook his head. Garrison sat back down to wait for more word on Chief.

GGG

Chief opened his eyes. His hip was sore, but not as bad as it had been. Turning his head, he looked at the woman sitting in a chair beside his bed. She was still wearing the remnants of the ball gown and looked close to how he felt.

“How are you feeling?” Terry asked.

“Not too bad,” he replied. “When can we leave.”

Terry chuckled. “You have to stay for a day or two. You need antibiotics and you just had surgery. They cleaned and closed up the wounds. You’ll be using a cane for awhile.”

“How’s Goniff?”

“Back in his room is all I know. They got the bullet out and closed that up. He’s going to be here a while longer than you, what with the head injury and a concussion.”

“He wake up yet?”

“I don’t know,” said the girl. “Nobody’s been in to tell me.” She saw Chief trying to keep his eyes open. “Go back to sleep,” she said quietly.

It was another hour before the four were comfortable enough with the conditions of the injured two men to be able to leave. Casino drove with a lead foot to get them to the Mansion. It was almost 4 pm when they arrived.

GGG

Chris had been listening for the car to arrive. She was in the kitchen trying to thaw the pork chops in a basin of water. She had ended up boiling some eggs from the chickens and making egg salad sandwiches for the group because the Sgt./Maj. did not seem to have anything to put in a sandwich except the hated Spam. She had already gone upstairs and pulled the covers back on the men’s beds to be inviting like her sister said she did. Terry’s bed had been made and opened too.

The British non-com followed her like a guard dog, apparently not trusting what she was doing. Chris could understand Terry’s frustration. The big car engine could be heard approaching. The Englishman was out of the kitchen in a hurry. Chris dried her hands on a towel and followed.

The front door opened, and Garrison was the first one in. He carried one of the kits, which he set on the floor by the coat tree. He looked tired but no worse for wear. Casino came in next with the other kit. His clothes were stained with dirt and blood, but nothing like those of Actor and Terry when they came in behind him.

“Oh my God,” said Chris, eyes wide. “Any of that yours?”

“No,” said Terry wearily.

“Are the two men all right?” asked Collins with genuine concern.

“In time they should be,” said Garrison.

Chris was eyeing her sister. “What happened to you?”

“That is a lo-o-ng story,” replied the girl wearily.

“Got something to eat?” asked Casino, hopefully.

“Egg salad sandwiches,” said Chris. “Dinner will be late. I’m trying to thaw the pork chops.”

Casino gave a snort. “Forget it. He don’t know how to make pork chops.” The safecracker nodded toward the Sgt./Maj.

“Casino,” warned Garrison.

Chris smiled. “He will when I’m done teaching him. Won’t you, Sgt./Major?”

The man looked to Garrison for support. “They aren’t rations.”

Before the men could say anything back, Christine sent a placating smile at the Englishman. “No, but it’s what the men like to eat and with them half thawed it would be wasteful to throw them out. Don’t you think?”

“Yes, Miss. I’ll just go get the sandwiches,” said the British man, clearly unhappy.

He turned and walked back toward the kitchen. Terry watched his back in surprise, exchanged looks with Actor and Casino and then back at her sister. Even Garrison’s eyebrows were raised.

Chris smiled. “I’ve lived with Dirk for a couple years. Only the accent is different.” She looked at her sister. “I would have thought that one,” she pointed toward Actor, “would have taught you how to make him think it was his idea.”

The con man and the amateur con woman stared at the girl and then exchanged a look of disbelief. Their eyes both turned to Garrison, who grinned in response. Casino laughed outright. 

Terry shook her head. “Come on, let’s eat.”

Chris eyed her apparel. “You’re going to eat like that?” She then looked at Actor. “You too?” Casino wasn’t as dirty as they were.

Terry turned tired eyes to her sister. “If I go up and take a shower before I eat, I won’t come down to eat.”

“I agree,” said Actor. He motioned Teresa to proceed ahead of him to the dining room. “Though I don’t know how you can be hungry with all the caviar you gorged on.”

“I told you, I do not gorge. I appreciate.”

“You appreciated a lot.”

“You brought it to me.”

The other three watched them go and chuckled.

GGG

The next morning, Chris stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her sister. Terry slowly made her way down the stairs, walking gingerly. Chris took one look at the face that was still slightly haggard and gave a whistle. “You look terrible.”

“Thanks.”

Craig came out of his office, Actor got up from his chair, and Casino turned around from the card table. All three looked at the older girl with concern.

“You all right?” asked Craig.

Terry fixed his with a wry smile. “Oh, I’m just fine. Let’s see now. In the past thirty-six hours, I have looked at that Gawd-awful lamp, had two of our guys seriously injured, killed four men, run three miles in high heels, run two miles through the woods barefoot, and lost my best evening gown. Sure, couldn’t be better.”

Actor suddenly remembered Terry’s run. “Let me see those feet, Little One.” He started forward.

“Actor, don’t you touch my feet! I’ve got nice cozy socks on and they are stuffed in these shoes. I’m not taking them off.”

“You need to keep off of them,” admonished the con man.

“That’s why Chris is driving,” said Terry.

“Where are you going?” asked Garrison sternly.

Casino snorted, “Hospital. Where do ya think?” 

Terry grinned at the safecracker. After a second, she sobered. “I’m worried about Goniff. And Chief is Indian.”

“I still do not understand why this is always a problem?” asked Actor curiously.

The others looked at him, realizing he truly did not understand the implications. Craig looked at his sisters. “If you can, bring him back.”

“If not, I’ll stay,” said Terry. “Either way, I’ll take care of him.” She saw the non-comprehension on the Italian’s face.

“Explain it to him, Craig,” said Terry. “Europeans don’t have the prejudices Americans have.”

“Excuse me,” said Actor indignantly. “I am American.”

Terry smiled, “I know, caro. But you are first generation.” She turned to Casino. “What are you, second or third?”

“Second,” answered Casino.

“You know what we’re talking about?”

Casino nodded. “That’s why we have our own neighborhoods. And it’s worse for somebody like Chief.”

“Which is why you keep throwing it in his face?” suggested Terry with wry humor.

Actor still did not understand the problem. He would have to ask the Lieutenant if the man were not forthcoming with an explanation.

Chris tried to change the subject. “It’s a shame about your cream-colored evening gown.”

“Yeah,” lamented Terry. “I really liked that one.”

Actor shrugged, “As did I. That’s all right. We will just have to go into London and find you a suitable replacement.”

Craig slowly turned his head to look at the con man questioningly. Terry laughed. “Yeah, I know, Craig. It’s kind of odd having a man pick out clothes for me, but he has such good taste.”

“Expensive, I’m sure,” replied Garrison drolly.

“As I have said before, a good quality gown is not inexpensive, Warden,” said Actor superiorly.

Craig looked at his second and smiled innocently. “What about the other things?”

“Cra-ig!” objected Terry warningly.

“What other things?” asked Casino. “He buys you ‘other things’ too?”

“We are not discussing that,” said Terry adamantly. She turned to her grinning sister. “Get me out of here.”

She turned back and gave her brother a look of disbelief. She would never have expected him to bring that up in front of the safecracker. He was smiling widely.

“I remember the chicken in the bathtub,” said Garrison. “You know what they say about payback.”

“I was paying you back, Brother,” said Terry with narrowed eyes.

Christine reached back and grabbed her sister’s arm, pulling her toward the door. “Come on, let’s not start a family feud. After all, we don’t want to air our dirty laundry,” she said with meaning.

“That was very good, Christine,” said Actor approvingly.

“Thank you,” the younger girl smiled.

“Oh, come on.” Terry moved ahead of her. “Don’t you start now.”

GGG

Chris had driven through Brandonshire and was on the road toward Folkestone and there had not been a word from her sister. Terry shifted, moving her feet uncomfortably. Chris shot a glance at Terry beside her in the front seat of the car. The older girl was staring, unseeingly, out the side window, a worried look on her face. The younger girl would bank that Terry had not gotten much sleep. 

“Worried about them?” asked Crystal quietly.

“Yeah,” said Terry. She turned in the seat to face forward.

“I can’t believe we have to go through this same, pardon me, shit, with Rainey that we went through with Monty,” said Chris with exasperation.

Terry shook her head. “I can’t believe the prejudice. I don’t know why I would think it would be different in the army, but it isn’t.”

“I guess we got complacent after Monty got accepted at home.”

Terry looked at her sister in concern. “Does Monty get that stuff here?” Chris had become closer to their adopted brother after he was stationed at an air force base outside of London.

Chris nodded. “I don’t know what we can do if he ever gets really wounded.”

“I’m not above having Dad pull rank for Monty.”

“I’m sorry. Rainey is a nice man. He’s got a few problems, but basically, he’s a good guy. It’s a shame he gets treated badly because he’s an Indian.”

“Be careful you don’t call him Rainey in Craig’s hearing,” warned Terry.

“Oh, don’t worry,” assured Chris. “I don’t want a replay of New York. I don’t understand how you and Actor get away with the cara/caro thing.”

“Craig thinks it’s part of the con.”

“Is it?” asked Chris pointedly.

Terry looked honestly at her sister, “For the most part.”

“Something going on between you two now?” Chris wondered about the strange relationship Terry had with the man.

“No,” replied Terry with apparent unconcern.

“You’re not attracted to him?” persisted the younger girl

Terry fixed her sister with a wry look. “I may be older than you, but I’m not dead. I was attracted to him the minute I laid eyes on him in the driveway.” She shook her head. “No, we just aren’t in the same league.”

“He gets done playing Pygmalion with you, you might be,” suggested Chris.

“Not a chance,” assured Terry. She withdrew within herself again, ending that line of conversation.


	5. Chapter 5

Goniff felt the presence in his room and figured it was another nurse to stick a thermometer in him or mess with the intravenous that was running into a vein in his left arm. He did not bother to open his eyes until her felt a hand gently stroke the top of his head above the white bandage. The blue eyes opened to blink a couple times against the dim light. The wavy auburn hair and affectionate smile brought relief as he recognized Terry.

“Terry, it really you?” The pickpocket hoped it wasn’t a hallucination.

“Was the last time I looked,” quipped Terry. “How do you feel?”

“Like I’ve got the ruddy ‘angover from bloody ‘ell,” said Goniff weakly.

“And you didn’t even get anything to drink at that party again,” teased Terry.

Goniff reached his right hand up and Terry took it in hers. She held it as she eased her hip onto the bed beside him. He tried to grin at her.

“I don’t remember what happened,” he said.

“Not much to tell,” said Terry. “You were shooting out the back of the truck and took one to the head.”

“You take care o’ me, Love?”

“Only for the first couple miles,” admitted Terry. “It was too much wound for me, so I got Actor.”

“Wot about Casino?” he asked worriedly.

Terry smiled. “He’s fine. Not a scratch on him.”

“But the Krauts were right on ‘im?” frowned the Cockney.

Terry shrugged with a grin that was a bit forced. “They didn’t make it.”

“Chiefy?”

“He’s down the hall. They fixed him up.”

Now he noticed the other girl standing in the doorway.

“’Ey, Chris,” Goniff smiled.

The younger sister came to the other side of the bed. Goniff tried to raise his arm to take her hand, but the intravenous got in his way. She smiled and reached down to squeeze his hand.

“It’s good to see you awake and making sense,” said Chris. She gave his hand another squeeze. “I’m going to go see if I can find coffee.” She glanced at her sister. “You want one?”

“Yes,” said Terry gratefully.

“The usual?”

“Black . . . unless it’s ersatz.”

Chris smiled down at the man in the bed. “I’ll let you visit with Terry.”

“Thanks for coming, Chris,” said Goniff.

She released his hand and quietly left the room. Goniff turned his attention back to Terry. 

The pickpocket was trying hard to stay awake. “Don’t suppose you could sneak me out with you. I’d like me own bed.”

“Sorry, Mate,” said Terry. “You cracked your head a good one. They need to watch you for a couple more days. But I’ll get you out as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Terry,” he smiled.

Terry rubbed his hand. “Get some rest.” 

His eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep. Terry stayed where she was with his hand in hers. She remembered the blood and the fear she had felt that he wouldn’t make it back to England. The slight man was indeed made of strong stuff. 

Ten minutes later, Christine found her in the same position. Terry rose and laid his hand back down. She tucked the covers around him. Turning, she accepted the cup held out by her sister.

“You’ve adopted them, haven’t you?” Chris asked knowingly.

Terry took a sip of strong black coffee and nodded. “I think they’ve adopted me too.” She frowned. “How did you find coffee? Yesterday I had to get the kitchen to make some for us.”

Chris grinned. “They have a couple Americans from the sub base as patients. They don’t like tea.”

With a last look at the relaxed still figure in the bed, Terry followed her sister out. The two girls went down the hall to Chief’s room. 

The Indian looked at the door when a knock sounded. “Come in.”

Terry walked in first with a big smile. He smiled back and then he saw Crystal behind her and his smile widened. The younger girl smiled brightly back at him. 

“How you doin’, Chief?” asked Terry, noticing in amusement where the man’s attention was focused.

“Okay,” he shrugged in reply.

“They treating you all right?” asked Terry seriously.

“I’m getting fed and watered,” he said nonchalantly.

“But that’s all,” said Chris accusingly. “Are you getting enough pain medicine?”

“I don’t need any,” he denied.

“Bull pucky,” said Chris in disgust.

Chief looked at her with a grin tickling his mouth. 

Terry picked up the chart at the end of the bed. She thumbed through it quickly. Penicillin and dressing changes. There was nothing there that she or Actor couldn’t handle at the mansion. Terry looked at Chris.

“Hey, Sis, go take a look out the window or something.”

Chris looked at her, puzzled, and then realized what Terry wanted. She walked over to the window and studied the scenery, which pretty much consisted of a brick wall.

Terry looked at Chief expectantly. He gave a resigned sigh and told her to go ahead. She pulled the covers back just enough to see the dressing on his right hip. It was clean. She motioned for him to tilt a little. The dressing on the back was clean too. She put the covers back.

“Okay, Chris.”

Chris came back to the bedside. Terry and Chief exchanged looks.

“Okay, Chiefy. Three options. One, you can stay here until they decide to spring you. Two, you can stay here and I’ll stay with you. Three, if you think you can stand an hour and a half laying on the backseat of the car, we’ll take you back to the mansion and Actor and I will take care of you.”

“I think I like number three.”

The Garrison girls grinned. Terry went out to track down the doctor, leaving Chris alone with Chief. They were more comfortable with each other now since Chris had taken care of him that time.

“I’m beginning to worry about you,” said the girl. 

Chief looked into the green eyes that were watching him. “Oh yeah, and why’s that?”

“You keep getting hurt,” said the girl.

He shrugged it off. “Ain’t just me. Actor’s been hit more than I have. This ain’t Goniff’s first time either. Casino’s been shot a couple times and got his back sliced up bad.” He decided not to include the Warden, seeing as he was the girl’s brother. “It’s war.”

“I know. I guess I’m just worrying about you more,” she admitted.

Chief looked at her as she ducked her head in embarrassment. “Wanna lay down on my good side?” he asked.

She laughed, knowing he was only partially serious. “You wanna get dropped off at the nearest mortician when Terry catches us?” she mimicked him back.

Anybody else making fun of his speech would have been looking at the wrong end of his blade, but not her, and not because he didn’t have his blades. Her teasing did not have the barbs he got from Casino and the men he had dealt with in prison.

“I don’t think she’d mind if you sat on the bed.”

Chris settled her hip next to his uninjured one; her hands primly clasped in her lap. Chief rested his arm across her knees and traced a finger up and down her upper arm below the bell cap short sleeve of her blouse. He liked her soft skin and she liked his gentle touch.

All too soon, Terry came back with a bag of supplies. Christine started to get up. 

Terry gave a wry grin. “I’d tell you it’s too late to get up, but they’re getting a wheelchair. I’m going to put this in the car and bring it to the door. I already signed you out.”

By the time the nurses had pushed Chief in a wheelchair to the entrance, Terry had the car idling at the curb. She made no move to get out of the driver’s seat, just casually watching the transfer of Chief to the backseat of the car. Chris came around and climbed in the other side. They waited until the staff had disappeared back into the hospital before the two in the back got Chief settled on the seat, good knee bent up, and the other leg with his foot on the floor to keep his hip flat. His head wiggled into a comfortable position on the younger girl’s lap.

“Ready now?” asked Terry in amusement.

“I’m fine,” said Chief.

“I’ll bet,” mumbled the older girl to herself.

Chris remembered her sister’s feet. “Can you drive that far?” asked the girl with concern.

“Sure,” said Terry, pulling out into the street

“Actor’s going to fuss when you get back,” warned the younger girl.

“Honey, Actor always fusses.” Terry grinned. “Besides, we’ll switch drivers in the driveway. He won’t know I drove the whole way.”

“Are you hurt?” asked Chief concerned. He had noticed her walking gingerly, but his mind had been on other things or another person at the time.

“Naw,” denied Terry. “Just sore feet. Nothing to worry about.”

GGG

Chris hit the horn for wounded as she pulled the big car into the yard. The three men came out and helped Chief out of the backseat. 

Casino noted where Chief’s head had been and he grinned. “Not bad, you got the comfy pillow this time.”

Chief looked a little embarrassed, but then got a defiant expression. “Yeah, Casino, and it was a nice long trip. Really enjoyed it.” Casino stared at him. Chief noticed the look of displeasure on Garrison’s face. “Uh, sorry Warden.”

Terry chuckled, Chris giggled, and Craig just shook his head.

“Come on, let’s get you up the steps,” said Garrison.

He and Casino half carried the man slowly up the stone steps with Christine ahead of them. Terry opened the door on her side of the car and gingerly got out. As soon as she put her weight on her feet she grimaced and gripped the top edge of the door, pausing to get a hold on the pain. Actor watched her and walked around the back of the vehicle. He saw the swelling that went up past her ankles. His mouth clamped into a tight line of anger.

“Teresa Marie Garrison! You will stay off those feet!”

Everyone froze and looked at the angry Italian. He strode forward and scooped her up in his arms.

“Actor, put me down!” objected Terry loudly.

“Stai zitti!”

Terry looked at his flashing dark brown eyes and realized the man was truly angry. “Yes, Sir,” she replied meekly.

Craig hid a grin. “We should have had him on the ranch,” he said quietly to his sister.

“Oh, yeah,” said Chris. “I can just see him on the ranch.”

“I guess not,” agreed Garrison.

“I can’t see any of us on your ranch, Warden,” said Casino with a laugh at the thought. “Well, maybe Geronimo here.”

Before the Indian could open his mouth, a disgruntled Italian stopped on the steps behind them. 

“Are you just going to sit there and discuss the weather?” Actor shot at the four of them. 

“Actor, if you complain I’m heavy I’ll clobber you a good one,” said Terry, over her meekness.

Garrison motioned to Casino with his head for them to continue on. They went inside and moved away from the door so Actor could enter carrying Terry. The Sgt./Major was standing on the stairs. His jaw dropped open and he stared.

“Wot happened to Miss Terry?” he asked.

Actor answered in his usual superior tone of voice. “Miss Terry is too stubborn to take care of or allow anyone else to take care of her injuries. Like someone else we know in her family.”

Collins scooted up the steps and out of the way as the big Italian pushed on up the stairs with Terry whispering unkind comments in his ear.

Casino looked around Chief at Garrison as they started up the steps. “He musta meant you, Warden. I don’t think he’s taken care of Kid Sister.”

Chris followed slowly, not sure where to go, but definitely not with Chief. Collins wasn’t quite sure what exactly was going on. He hurried into Terry’s room and pulled the covers down to the foot of the bed, standing aside as Actor deposited the girl on the bed, not quite as gently as he normally would.

Actor smiled pleasantly at the English non-com. “Perhaps you could get an aide kit so I can tend to her feet.”

“Of course,” said Collins, hurrying into the bathroom.

Actor did not look at the younger girl he knew was standing in the doorway. “Are you coming in or going down the hall with Chief?”

“I’m fine right here,” she assured him, and herself.

The Italian began removing Terry’s shoes.

“My feet are fine, Actor.”

“Of course they are. That’s why they are swollen over the tops of your shoes and you can’t get your boots on.” 

He began peeling the stained socks off. Collins set an aide kit on the chair beside the Italian. He peeked around at the bruised and bleeding feet.

“How can you bleedin’ stand on those . . . Miss,” said the Sgt./Major in surprise.

“As I said, stubbornness runs in the family, if you haven’t noticed,” said the con man.

He began cleaning the tender feet with the gentleness he was known for. Once cleansed, he applied ointment and wrapped them in gauze. Chris stepped cautiously into the room and got a clean pair of socks from the dresser drawer. Actor did not want the pressure on the feet from the socks, but knew the girl would walk anyway, and the dressings would not hold up to that without coverings.

“No shoes,” he instructed firmly as he rolled the socks on. “You have no place you need to go anyway, so stay with the slippers if they are not too tight.”

The only response was a raised eyebrow from Terry. Actor ignored it and left the clean up to one of the other two. He strode out of the room and down the hall to check on Chief.

“Arrogant Italian men,” muttered Terry in disgust.

Chris smiled and addressed the Sgt./Major. “Isn’t it fun to live here with all of them?”

“I’m not sure fun is a word I would use, Miss,” replied the Englishman, beginning to pick up the remains of the aid kit.

Actor stepped into Chief’s room. Garrison had the Indian laying on his side so he could see the dressings. He stepped aside and allowed Actor to get closer and inspect them. They were dry and unstained.

“What are the orders for taking care of the wounds?” Actor asked.

“Sulfa and bandages,” replied Chief sullenly. He did not like everyone looking at his bare backside. “And penicillin.”

Actor looked inquiringly at Garrison. “How much penicillin do we have left?”

“Bag of supplies and medicine in the car,” said Chief. “Can I lay back down now?”

“Of course,” said Actor, pulling the covers over him.

“I wonder how the little Limey is,” mused Casino.

“He was talkin’ to Terry and Chris before we left. I didn’t get to see him.”

“Talking is a good sign,” acknowledge the con man.

Garrison was leaning against the armoire, shaking his head. “Doesn’t look like we’ll be going back in anytime soon again.”

“Pity,” said Actor, turning toward the door. “I was finding these little excursions so invigorating.”

Casino rolled his eyes and Garrison grinned. Actor stepped out into the hall as the British non-com was leaving Terry’s room.

“Sgt./Major, there is a bag of medical supplies in the car. Would you bring them up, please,” said the con man as more of an order than a request.

Collins stood where he was and looked at Garrison. This aggravated Actor who gave the man one of his SS looks that brooked an immediate following of his orders. The look was ignored.

Garrison nodded from behind his second. “Thank you, Sgt./Major. You can leave them in Chief’s room.”

“Right, Sir,” said Collins before hurrying down the stairs.

“Losin’ your touch there, Actor? That’s two of ‘em don’t listen to you.”

Actor swung around in anger at Casino with the intention of belting him. 

“Knock it off . . . both of you!” said Garrison firmly.

“Someday I will do just that,” promised Actor.

“Yeah, yeah.”

The three headed down the hall.


	6. Chapter 6

It was still dark as Terry made her way silently down the stairs. Her feet still hurt badly, but she was concerned about Goniff. She did not like leaving any of the men alone in a hospital with the uncertainty of how much care they would receive because of their backgrounds. Of course, if anyone could charm his way around the nurses it was the little Cockney, even if they were nuns. Craig was going to be mad, but she took the Packard. It clutched easier than the jeep and had more leg room that the MG.

Goniff looked up as Terry slowly hobbled into his room. “Terry, what are you doin’ ‘ere, Love? It’s six o’clock in the morning.” He had glanced at the clock on the wall. “And what’s the matter with you? You’re hurt?”

Terry dragged a chair over close to him. “I snuck out. I’m not going to leave you alone in a hospital. And my feet are a little sore from that run through the woods.”

“Well, put ‘em up on the bed,” said Goniff.

Terry pried them out of the slippers she had on. She could not fit them in her shoes and the boots were not even a consideration. With relief she lifted them up onto the bed next to Goniff’s legs. He carefully tilted his head around to see them. They were twice the size they should be.

“Oh, bloody ‘ell, Terry!” 

“It’s all right,” she said, wiggling around to find a comfortable position in the chair. She could tell without looking that there was blood on the bottom of the socks. Actor was going to have another royal conniption fit.

Goniff held his hand out to her and she slipped hers in his. In a minute, she was asleep. 

A couple hours later, the doctor and an orderly entered the room. They were surprised to find the woman there asleep.

“Mr. Grainger, how are you doing this morning?” asked the doctor.

“It’s gettin’ better,” said Goniff gamely. “Me ‘eadache’s a little better and I can move a little without gettin’ too dizzy.”

Terry woke up at the voices and wiggled kinked muscles around. She and the doctor exchanged looks.

“Are you one of the group?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied the girl. “Terry Garrison.”

The doctor eyed her assessingly as the orderly removed the bandage from Goniff’s head. “Are you a convict also?”

Terry found that amusing. Goniff gave an indignant squawk.

“Not yet,” replied the girl, “but I think I’m working on it.”

“She’s ruddy special forces and she’s blinkin’ good at it!” declared the Englishman defiantly.

“I’m part of the group,” explained Terry. “My brother is the CO.”

The doctor examined the wound on Goniff’s head. Terry painfully got to her feet and looked at the wound.

“She’s our nurse,” said Goniff.  
The doctor shot her a look. Terry nodded. “Licensed in New York.”

“The wound is healing nicely. The concussion is getting better. I would still like to keep him a couple more days.”

Terry nodded. “I’m not leaving.”

“Somehow I thought you might say that,” said the doctor. Terry sat down and put her feet back up on the bed. He looked at the bottoms of the socks. “What did you do to your feet?”

“A couple miles through woods barefoot,” said Terry nonchalantly. “They’re all right.”

“No, they’re not,” objected Goniff.

Terry gave him a dirty look.

The doctor motioned with his head at the feet to the orderly. “Take those socks off.”

“My feet are fine,” said Terry stubbornly.

“I can see that,” shot the doctor back at her.

The stained socks and dressings were removed, and her feet examined. Orders were given for ointment and bandages. “As long as you are staying, we will treat you also.”

Terry’s eyebrows went up. “I’m not leaving this room.”

“That is highly irregular,” objected the doctor. 

“Yeah, well, we’re a highly irregular team,” smiled Terry.

“Mr. Grainger?” he asked Goniff’s approval.

“Oh, she’s stayin’ ‘ere,” said Goniff. “So’s I can keep an eye on ‘er.”

Terry shot a look at him. He grinned back at her. She rolled her eyes.

“I’m staying here.”

Within a half hour, Terry’s feet had been attended to, they had both been fed, and a cot had been set up in the room for her.

GGG

Craig called the hospital in concern after finding Terry and the Packard missing. “Is my sister there with Rodney Grainger?”

“Oh, yes, Sir,” replied the nurse. “She insisted on staying in the room with him, even though it is against regulations. So, we moved a cot in the room, and we are taking care of her too, Sir.”

“What do you mean?” asked Garrison puzzled.

“Her feet, Sir,” replied the nurse. “She gets dressing changes twice a day and she’s been given penicillin as a precaution against infection.”

“And she’s letting you?” asked Craig in astonishment.

“Yes, Sir.”

“Any idea how soon they’ll be released?”

“Doctor Weston is anticipating another two to three days, Sir.”

“Thank you, Ma’am,” said Craig. “Could you let them know I called?”

“Of course, Sir.”

Craig hung up and looked at the faces watching him. He shook his head. “She’s there. They set up a cot in Goniff’s room and they’re taking care of both of them.”

“Teresa’s a patient?” asked Actor in astonishment.

“Apparently so,” replied Garrison. “And she’s letting them.” 

GGG  
With Teresa gone, it was left to Actor to take care of Chief’s wounds. The Sgt./Major was more than willing to help . . . anyone other than the Indian with the sharp knives he was so fond of. So Chief was pretty much left alone except for Actor’s medical ministrations. Christine was afraid to spend any time with the man when her brother was in the house. 

The longer Chief spent alone in the room, even with the window open, the more closed in he felt. Having Chris so close and unable to see her was frustrating too. He had tried to get to the door with the cane and didn’t make it. Garrison had heard the thump through his office ceiling and called the two men in the common room to come with him to see what had happened. They helped the Indian back into bed.

Actor remained behind and changed the dressings to make sure no damage had been done. The younger man’s mood was not lost on the confidence man. With a plan in mind, Actor went back downstairs. Christine was sitting in the chair by the window with the never-ending mending.

“Christine,” breached the con man. “Do you know how to play chess?”

Chris looked up in curiosity at that unexpected question. “Yes, but I’m not very good at it.”

“Chief is bored up there and I am not in the mood to keep him company. He likes to play chess. Perhaps you could take the chess set up to his room and play a couple games with him.” Actor glanced thorough the open door to the office at Garrison. “That is if you have no objections, Warden.”

“Fine with me,” said Craig absently. He looked up at his second. “If it puts him in a better frame of mind maybe he won’t knife anybody.”

Chris set aside the mending and went to the little chess table. She put the pieces in the cloth bag that hung from the back of the chair and folded up the board. She passed Actor and looked up into the warm hazel eyes. His mouth curved up on the right in his crooked grin.

“Thank you,” she mouthed to him behind Casino’s back.

Actor dipped his head in acknowledgement before returning to his chair, pipe and newspaper.

Chief was surprised to see the girl enter his room with the chessboard.

“I’m not any good,” she warned him.

“I’m still learning.” He frowned as she helped him sit up in the bed and tucked the pillows behind him for support. “Warden, know?”

Chris nodded. “It was Actor’s idea. Craig said it was okay.”

The first genuine smile since arriving at the Mansion crossed the man’s face. Chris opened the board and laid it across his lap. Easing a hip carefully on the bed opposite the injured hip, she began taking out the pieces.

“White or black?”

“You can have white.”

They played until the Sgt./Major brought lunch up. Chris set the board and bag of pieces on the desk, and with a parting smile, went back downstairs to eat and resume her mending.

Garrison had called the hospital and was told they wanted to keep Goniff a couple more days. He still vomited with any sudden sharp moves and with the pickpocket that was how he normally moved. Terry was continuing to stay with him.

A call came through for the Lieutenant in the late afternoon. When he hung up, he came to the door of the office, leaned against the jamb and studied his two uninjured men with amusement.

“They wanted to send you and I in, Actor, with Terry as your mistress,” said Craig. “I told them Terry was in the hospital and not available.”

“I could do it,” offered Christine, getting up and walking toward her brother.

The three men looked at her.

“Chris, it wouldn’t work,” said Craig.

“Why not?” she demanded an answer.

Actor sucked on a cheek before answering. “Christine, Teresa is fifteen years younger than I am. Sometimes we can just barely make it work. You are significantly younger still. “

“So what?”

Actor shot an inquiring look at Garrison. He thought about it and raised both hands, palm up, giving the man permission. The confidence man rose from his chair and walked up to the girl, caught her face between his hands and proceeded to kiss her more thoroughly than he had that time in London. Chris made a startled noise of protest. Her arms gestured on either side of him, not pushing him away but not accepting either. Casino was grinning broadly. Craig merely shook his head. The Italian pulled back and released her.

“Punto,” he said to Garrison triumphantly.

Christine’s eyes flashed and her hands went to her hips while her eyes narrowed, and her mouth puckered. “Actor, I am not a whore!”

“Correct. And you do not know how to act like one either,” said Actor, turning back to Garrison.

“Then don’t call me one!” she shouted indignantly.

His head shot around to stare at her. “I did not call you one,” he denied.

Craig couldn’t help laughing. “Chris, punto means point in Italian. Puta means whore in Mexican.”

“Then what is it in Italian?” the girl asked, not buying that.

“Puttana,” said Casino with a huge grin.

“Oh,” she said slightly embarrassed.

Actor smiled indulgently at the girl. “Christine, it was nice of you to offer, but no.”

GGG

The next morning, Chris was straightening up her room when the Sgt./Major appeared at her door. She turned her attention to the somewhat uncomfortable looking man.

“I was wondering if you had anything you wanted me to wash for you. It’s laundry day,” said the man.

“No thank you,” replied Chris. “I would prefer to do my own laundry and my sister’s. I can do that tomorrow.”

“Yes, Miss,” said the man with a bob of his head. He disappeared down the hall.

Chris frowned, thinking about the strange little man. An hour later, she gave in to her musings and went back to where the clothes washer was. The thin man looked up and smiled.

“You found something for me?” he asked.

Chris leaned against the door jamb and studied him. “No, but I am curious about something, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“Go right ahead, Miss,” said the non-com going back to wringing the clothes out one at a time.

“I would guess you have been a military man most of your life?”

Collins nodded. “Yes, Miss, since I was old enough to join the service.”

“Don’t you find being stuck with domestic chores . . . you know, woman’s work . . .to be a step down from what you are used to doing?”

Collins stopped and turned to look at her. She wasn’t being mocking or degrading, just interested. He thought about it.

“It’s not what I am used to doing,” he admitted. “But if the army tells me it is me job now, then I will do it.”

Chris nodded and tilted her head to watch him. “Okay, I understand that. But if my sister is here, and she has been taking care of the men since she got here, then why not let her do it when she’s here? She feels it’s her job to do that and she really does enjoy looking after the guys. So why not allow her to do it and you can pick it up when she’s not here? That would free you up to do more things that are more . . . military-minded. Craig says you’re a better typist than any of the rest of us. And taking over the training of the men would give him more time to concentrate on his paperwork.”

“I’m not sure I have ever looked at it that way,” mused Collins. “But I don’t seem to be accomplishing anything in the training of the men.”

Chris had heard the funny stories of the things the guys had done and the tricks they pulled on the British non-com. 

“Well, they are a different bunch, I’ll say that,” said Chris. “You have to give them time to get used to you and for you to get used to them. I know they give you a hard time, but that will pass. Just be patient.”

“I don’t know about that, Miss.”

Collins found the young girl easier to talk to than the older one. He did not know why he felt comfortable opening up to her. “They don’t like me. I don’t see that changing.”

“They aren’t regular army. And they had a routine of sorts. Your coming disrupted that routine, as I’m sure it did yours. Give them time, and it will take time.” She saw him thinking about that. “I was thinking of a roast chicken for dinner. Does that sound all right to you?”

Collins nodded, but frowned. “Where are you going to get the chicken?”

Chris turned her head in the direction of the chicken coop.

“Oh, no, Miss! I’m not killing one of her bleedin’ chickens! She told me I couldn’t do that without her permission.”

Chris looked at the stricken expression on the man’s face and could not mask a smile. “It’s all right, Sgt./Major, Terry said there was a nasty rooster out there we could eat.”

“If you say so, Miss,” Collins said dubiously.

Chris smiled wider. “I’ll get Craig to come kill it.” She paused. “Unless you want to?”

“No thank you, Miss. The Lieutenant can do it if he wants to.”

Chris left the man to his laundry and went back to the common room and stopped at the office door. Garrison was working on a report, Casino was playing solitaire at the game table, and Actor was reading a book.

“Craig, could you or Casino go kill that red rooster for me? Terry said we could eat him.”

Craig did not even look up. “Casino, go kill the rooster.”

“Aw, Warden, why me?”

“And not that I am inclined, but why have I been left out?”

Chris scanned Actor from head to toe, with his pipe, flannel pants and purple smoking jacket. Purple? 

“Casino?” she begged nicely, not answering the con man.

The safecracker tossed his cards on the table. “Okay, Sweetheart, show me which one you want me to off for you.”

Actor felt himself being decidedly ignored as the two left the common room. He rose from his chair and went to Garrison’s door. He stood there, puffing on his pipe, until the officer looked up.

“Tell me, Warden,” broached Actor. “Have I just been complimented or insulted? I’m not sure.”

Craig looked up at the dandy figure in the doorway and grinned. “I don’t think she likes the jacket.” He sat back in his chair. “Do you even know how to kill a chicken?”

Actor nodded. “However, you will never find that on my dossier.”

Craig laughed and the con man grinned.

A few minutes later, Casino approached the younger sister who was waiting for him on the back steps. He sauntered up, holding the dead bird upside down by its feet, head swinging loosely from its limp neck.

“I ‘spose you want me to clean and dress it for yuh”

Christine smiled brightly. “That would be so nice of you.”

It wasn’t Terry so he couldn’t very well say the girl would owe him for it. “Sure. I ain’t doin’ nuthin’. Get me a kettle with boilin’ water.”

“Be glad to,” said Chris. “Thank you, Casino.”

“Yeah. And I won’t leave any pinfeathers on it.”

“I didn’t say anything about that,” said the girl, puzzled as to where that had come from.

“No, but Ma always did.”


	7. Chapter 7

Rain ran in rivulets down the diamond panes of glass in the window of the common room. It was so dark at one o’clock in the afternoon, Actor was forced to put the light on by his chair in order to read the fine print of the yellowed pages of the novel with the cracked leather binding he held in one hand while he maintained one of his pipes, stem encircled by thumb and forefinger with the bowl resting on the backs of his other fingers, in the other hand. 

Garrison was at his desk in the office, desk lamp on, concentrating on translating the German documents in front of him. With his group down, Lt. Johnson’s group had to pick up the slack of the missions. They were getting many documents out of German safes. There seemed to be an increase in intelligence gathering from other sectors that were keeping the translators busy, so Garrison was translating and analyzing Johnson’s intel. Randy was a decent enough young officer, but he did not have the necessary analytic mind that Craig, Actor, and Terry had. Cigarette butts were accumulating in a hill in the ashtray on the desk.

The hill was similar to the one in the ashtray next to Casino at the game table. The cracksman was rapidly becoming bored with the enforced down time. There was only so much solitaire he could tolerate. With a sour look, he moved a black queen atop a red king. A car horn sounded with the code for wounded. Casino got up and looked out the window Chief was usually in. The Packard was approaching slowly up the driveway, water splashing around the tires as it drove through puddles of rainwater.

“Hey, Warden,” called Casino. “Terry’s back anyway.”

Actor rose from his chair. “We had better go down. If she has Goniff, she may need assistance in getting him up the stairs.”

“I wouldn’t try to pick her up again, Babe,” teased the safecracker. “She just might deck you.”

“I wasn’t planning on it,” said Actor. 

The con man rolled his eyes at Garrison as the officer came out of his office. Collins met them by the door and Christine bounded down the stairs. Actor was the one with the foresight to snatch up a black umbrella from the coat tree beside the door.   
The Packard came to a stop with the passenger door close to the bottom of the steps. The engine was turned off and Terry opened the driver’s door to get out. The people coming down the steps could see the blond pickpocket in the passenger seat. Actor pushed through and opened the umbrella, holding it above the girl’s head as she moved around the front of the car and opened the car door. 

“It was a long ride for him,” she said. Terry glanced at the Sgt./Major. “Could you opened up his bed and get a fire started in the fireplace, please?” She smiled at the pickpocket as he slowly climbed out of the car. “And he’s always cold to begin with.”

“Come on, Limey,” said Casino coming up beside Terry.

While Collins bounded up the steps, the girl took the umbrella from Actor and moved to let him in her place, while keeping the umbrella above Goniff’s head. Christine, seeing she was not needed, ran up the steps to hold the door open as the wind began to pick up. Garrison preceded the group up to the door. 

Once inside, Terry shook the water off the umbrella on the stone porch before closing it up and sticking it back in the coat tree. Chris closed the door Goniff gave a shiver.

“How are you doing, Goniff?” asked Garrison.

“I’m chilled to the bone, Warden,” complained the slight man. “It’s bloody frigid out there!”

They all laughed. It was summer, even if it was wet right now.

“So, can you make it upstairs?” asked Casino. “Or do we hafta carry yuh?”

“Casino!” objected the two girls.

“The epitome of a true gentleman,” remarked Actor sarcastically.

“Stuff it, Beautiful,” shot back the safecracker.

“That’s enough, Gentlemen,” said Garrison warding off a fight. He turned his attention to Goniff. “You need help?”

“I think I can make it,” replied the Englishman. “Can’t wait to get into me own bed.”

“At least you had a bed,” said Terry cheerfully. “You think that was bad, you should have had the cot.”

“Come on, Limey,” said Casino. He put his arm around the smaller man’s shoulders and proceeded to guide him up the stairs.

“How are your feet?” asked Craig.

“Better,” said Terry. “I still wouldn’t try to put them in boots and I’m not sure how long I could stand shoes.” She looked at her brother. “How’s Chief?”

“Slowly getting better,” replied Garrison. “He can make it into the upstairs common room for a little bit. Can’t walk without the cane.”

“Hasn’t made it downstairs yet?” she asked.

“No reason to.” Garrison headed for his office. “He’s being well looked after.”

“Huh? He’s letting the Sgt./Major look after him?”

“Ask him.” Garrison tilted his head back toward the tall Italian.

Terry looked at the con man with wide apprehensive eyes.

“Chief was beginning to go stir crazy alone in that room. And a bored Chief can be a dangerous Chief. I suggested some diversionary activity.”

“What did you do?” hissed Terry in quiet anger.

“Our young man has become interested in chess, as you know,” said Actor in a normal tone. “The Lieutenant was too busy, Casino doesn’t play, I was not inclined, so I suggested Christine take the chess board to him and engage him in a game or two.” The con man smiled. “They seem to be pretty evenly matched.”

Terry looked at his superior grinning face and rolled her eyes. The man just had to manipulate people. 

“I’m going upstairs and change my clothes. I’ve been in these for a couple days.” 

As the girl started up the steps, Actor added, “You might give those to the Sgt./Major. I’m sure he would be happy to wash them for you.”

Terry paused, one foot in midair and looked back at the Italian. She curled her lip at him before continuing up the stairs. She could hear Actor chuckling behind her.

Still grinning, the con man went into Garrison’s office and took a seat in front of the desk. He removed a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and leaned forward to offer one to the officer. Garrison took one was a nod of his head in thanks, noting they were Sobranie Russian cigarettes, the kind favored by the SS. Craig had long ago decided he would never find out how or where Actor always seemed to come up with French and Russian cigarettes. Probably better not to ask.

After the two men had lit their cigarettes and taken the first puff, Actor got to the point. “I think it would be wise to take Teresa into London tomorrow and purchase a new ball gown. When the Brass finds out she is back, they will undoubtedly decide to send us on another mission.”

“Actor, I don’t like you buying her clothes,” said Garrison with a frown. Though the man never had, there was always a first time for the confidence man to hold out for a favor.

“I know,” said Actor quietly. “As I have said before, you do not get paid enough to cover that kind of purchase. The army will not pay for it. And when I am doing a con at a party, I need her to look like an expensive mistress or wife. She is down to the one green gown. As nice as it is, she needs to have a backup gown in case something like this last mission were to happen again. That amount of money is nothing to me, Warden, you know that. And I am happy to do it.” He eyed the Lieutenant as if seeing into his mind. “I have no intentions of using this as a bargaining chip. I did not the last time, did I?”

“No,” admitted Garrison.

“Look at this as my acquiring tools for my trade,” said Actor, “Just as I acquire fine clothes for myself, make up, facial hair pieces, and the occasional wig.” The last item was said with a hint of distaste.

Garrison hated it when Actor presented something that made too much sense to object to. At the same time, he admired the man’s ability to do it. He knew he would not win this mild dispute, as he knew Actor was fully aware of the same.

“Fine. Talk to Terry and when you decide to go, I’ll write out a pass.”

“Most kind of you, Warden.” The con man smiled widely.

Garrison leaned back in his chair, took a long inhalation of the Russian cigarette smoke and eyed his second while blowing it out. “Speaking of talking to Terry, I see you are finally learning how to dish it back to her. I heard what you said to her before you came in.”

“Yes, it’s petty, I know,’ said the man with overdone wistfulness, followed by a grin, “but it is a bit satisfying too.”

Garrison chuckled, “Then by all means, carry on.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant.”

The subject of conversation bounced into the office and drew up short at sight of Actor. 

“Oh, sorry,” said Terry. “Didn’t mean to break up your conversation.”

“You didn’t,” said her brother. “We were just sharing a cigarette.”

“Would you like one?” offered the Italian.

Terry sniffed the air and frowned. “What flavor?”

“Russian,” replied Actor, knowing full well she hated Sobranies.

“No thank you,” said Terry adamantly. “Those are worse than Player’s Navy. I think I would rather try smoking your pipe than one of those.”

“Actually, you would probably enjoy a good pipe,” smiled Actor.

The girl looked at him, not sure if he was joking or not. “I’ll pass.”

“How long is Goniff going to be down?” asked Craig.

“Three more weeks, same as Chief,” replied the girl.

“I am sure the army will find something for us to do in the meantime,” said Actor.

“I’m surprised they haven’t already,” said the girl, pulling out a chair from the table and sitting down.

“Oh, they did,” Garrison smiled.

“What happened?” asked Terry in surprise.

“You weren’t available and we needed a woman on short notice.”

Christine walked past the door just then and heard that. “I don’t know how to act like a whore as well as my big sister does. We’ll have to discuss that sometime.” She walked into the room and bent down to whisper into her sister’s ear. “And that man kisses dirty. He stuck his tongue in my mouth,” she whispered indignantly.

Slack-jawed, Terry looked at the younger girl and then burst out laughing. She turned to Actor. “You didn’t?”

The Italian returned her look, not at all repentant. “Whatever it was, I probably did it.”

“What did you do,” asked Garrison suspiciously.

Actor gestured upward with both hands. “You were there, Warden. All I did was kiss her.”

“Oh, that,” said Garrison, hiding his relief. 

Terry smiled up at her younger sister. “Crystal, you have a lot to learn yet. Maybe by the time you reach his advanced age, you will have figured it out.”

“I beg your pardon!”

Terry ignored Actor.

“You do that with him?” asked Chris in a low voice.

“If the occasion warrants it,” said Terry unconcerned. “But not while he’s smoking those stinking cigarettes.”

Craig was eyeing her sternly. She smiled benignly back.

“Okay you two,” said the older girl to her sister and Actor. “I would like to speak to the Lieutenant on a military matter. If you both would be so kind.”

Actor ‘s eyebrows rose, and he looked at the officer. “I believe I have been dismissed.”

“Looks that way,” agreed Garrison. “Military matter?”

“Military matter.”

Actor rose and indicated the door to Christine. “It’s all right, Child, you are perfectly safe.”

Chris frowned at him and proceeded out the door; the Italian behind her. Casino had come back downstairs and followed the two, wondering why Chris looked unhappy and Actor was grinning.

Terry took Actor’s vacated seat, a thoughtful look on her face. “I was thinking.”

“That’s dangerous,” teased Garrison. “About what?” he asked before she could react.

“I’ve never looked into the Sgt./Major’s room,” she said. “What’s he sleeping on?”

Craig’s eyes shot up to hers and a stricken look crossed his face. “I forgot,” he said. “I just flat forgot.”

Terry stared at him. “You forgot to give him something to sleep on?”

“No. He’s got a cot. I was going to try to find a bed for him. I just flat forgot.”

Terry shook her head. “Where’d you find a cot?”

“I pieced together one from the basement and finally found where you hid the parts,” he said disgustedly.

“I didn’t hide them, Shiv did.” Terry smiled. “Okay, go back to what you were doing.”

Garrison shook his head. “I need to find something better for him.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

Terry pushed the swinging door open and entered the kitchen. Collins was sitting at the table, snapping fresh beans into a bowl for supper. He looked up at the girl questioningly.

“Can I get you something, Miss Terry?”

Terry leaned against the counter. “Craig said you’re sleeping on one of the cots.”

“Yes. Is there something wrong with that?” asked Collins curiously.

“I’d say so,” said Terry. “Could you show me your room, Sgt./Major?”

The request surprised him. “Well . . . yes, Miss.”

The Sgt./Major got up from the table and led Terry through the butler’s pantry to the closed door to his room. As expected, the room was neat and tidy, everything in its place . . . and one of the cots against the far wall, bedding tucked tight enough to bounce a coin on. Terry walked in and looked around. She went to the foot of the cot and did some measurements with her arms, a look of concentration on her face. Satisfied, she left without a word. The British man watched her back disappear out of the kitchen and shook his head, going back to the beans.

Terry marched into the common room. She stopped by the game table. “Casino . . . Actor . . . come on. We have a mission.”

Both men looked up in surprise. 

Garrison’s voice came from the office. “Terry, I know what you’re going to do, but where are you going to find one?”

“Where else? The other side of the house. You going to give me the keys or do I have to have Casino pick the locks?”

“You know we aren’t supposed to . . .”

“Don’t worry. When the war’s over, the piano and the bed will go back where they belong.”

They heard the locked desk drawer being opened. Terry smiled.

“Why are we getting a bed?” asked Actor.

“Because the Sgt./Major is sleeping on one of your cots.”

“And there’s somethin’ wrong with that?”

Terry glared at the safecracker. “Yeah, there’s somethin’ wrong with that, Casino.”

“Don’t argue with her,” said Actor wearily. “She’s right. She’s on a mission.”

“You need me?” asked Chris from Chief’s chair.

“No,” replied Terry. “That’s why I have them. Muscle.”

Actor retrieved the keys from Garrison with a look resignation. “A bed.”

Garrison nodded. “It’s not right the rest of us are sleeping on beds and he’s got a cot.”

“I suppose you are right,” agreed the Italian. “Perhaps if we give him the comforts we enjoy, he will be more amenable to our ways.”

“That wasn’t exactly why I’m doing it,” remarked Craig, sourly, though it wasn’t a bad idea.

Actor smiled broadly and left to join the other two.

An hour later, the Sgt./Major had a bed. It was a single, but that was the only size the tiny room would allow. The British non-com stood in the doorway, which was a far as they allowed him, watching the men put the bed together and then Terry putting the linen on it. She straightened with a satisfied smile.

“There now, isn’t that better?” she asked.

The man had been thinking. “You got that from the other side of the house, didn’t you,” he said, with not quite approval.

“Yeah,” said Casino. “Now I s’pose yuh want us to take it apart and take it back.” There was disgust in his voice.

“I, for one, am too tired to do that,” said Actor. “Let us allow him to sleep on it tonight and, if he would like, we can return it tomorrow and put the cot back together.”

Terry could play the game too. “It’ll have to be the next day,” she said innocently. “Didn’t you tell me we’re going to London tomorrow to get me a new dress?”

Collins eyes widened. It took control for the three not to laugh.

“Ah, yes. It slipped my mind,” lied Actor.

Casino eyed the confidence man. “You’re buyin’ her clothes again?”

“I’m afraid I must,” said Actor overly resigned. “She seemed to think that last ball gown belonged to the Red Cross.”

“I didn’t hear you objecting when I cut it,” said Terry, ushering the two cons out of Collins' room.

“That is because I was busy when you cut it and could not stop you.”

“You wouldn’t have stopped me anyway,” said the girl confidently. 

They left the Sgt./Major and dragged the pieces of cot into the utility room off the back door, just in case the Englishman became insistent on their returning the bed to the room they had borrowed it from. Collins waited until they had gone back through the kitchen before he walked over to inspect the bed. He pushed on the mattress with a finger before turning to sit on it. It was just the right softness. He flipped around and lay atop the covers, a wide smile coming to his face. It had been . . . he couldn’t remember how long it had been since he had slept on a real bed. It wouldn’t be right to make the three take it apart and haul it back right after they had just gone to the trouble of getting it for him. They wouldn’t be able to return it for two nights. Well, he would just have to put up with sleeping on it for two nights, wouldn’t he?


	8. Chapter 8

Terry was sitting at the game table in the downstairs common room, waiting for Actor and Casino to get Chief down the stairs. The youngest of the team did not want any help from the Sgt./Major. The girl was dressed in a flowered shirtwaist afternoon dress with cap sleeves. Her feet were in slippers, her low-heeled shoes on the floor beside her. Actor has insisted she wear the slippers when they were in the car and switch to the shoes when they went into the same dress shop he had taken her to before. She could walk now, but it was still a little uncomfortable when she wore shoes.

Slowly the three men made their way downstairs one step at a time. Christine followed with the cane. Once they reached the bottom of the stairs, Chief took the cane and hobbled over to the chair by the window under his own steam. The other two men went back upstairs. 

“What?” asked Terry in confusion. If they were going to London, she wanted to go early. It would give them time to eat in a restaurant before returning to the Mansion.

“Goniff wants to come downstairs,” explained Chris. “I think he gets lonely up there. Craig and Casino can get him back up if you and Actor aren’t back.”

Christine moved the ottoman from in front of Actor’s chair and helped Chief put his legs up. He was wearing pajamas and one of Actor’s robes that was cinched in at the waist with the tie belt and still came a little above his ankles. The con man was a good four inches taller than the Indian.

Garrison came out of his office and approached his scout. “You okay there?’ he asked.

“Yeah,” replied Chief. “Better than up there.”

Casino and Actor returned helping Goniff down the stairs and over to Actor’s chair. Chris moved to make him cozy with an afghan over his knees because between his normal disposition and blood loss, he was still cold.

Chief looked at Garrison and glanced down at his injured leg. “Warden, this ain’t a good omen. I just got that leg healed up and I’m hit again.”

“Could be worse, Chief,” said Garrison with a smile.

“Almost was if it wasn’t for Terry.”

Craig frowned. He hadn’t asked about the particulars, though he knew his sister had been with the scout. “How so?”

“I went down and she went on top of me and shot the guy pointblank.”

“Don’t make such a big thing out of it,” said Terry quietly. “You would have done the same.”

Craig looked at his sister questioningly. 

She shrugged. “You told me from the start when I first went out with these guys that I’m supposed to cover their backs and they cover mine. So, I missed his back. I had to make up for that.”

Garrison smiled. “This from the girl who still has to get him to wring a chicken’s neck.”

“Chickens don’t carry guns.”

The men laughed.

“She’s got a point there, Warden,” said Casino. “Oh, and don’t piss her off. Yuh shoulda seen her in the back of that truck with a schmeisser. Saved my bacon too.”

“Oh, would you guys stop already,” objected Terry embarrassed. “You make it sound like I’m some super Frau.”

“Naw,” teased Casino. “Yuh just shoot good. Love tuh set up a match between you and Geronimo.”

“No!” Terry answered firmly. She shifted her attention to the blond Englishman. “You okay, Goniff?”

“Fine, Love,” he smiled. “Now all I need is a cuppa.”

“I’ll get you one,” offered Chris.

As she headed for the kitchen, Actor approached Teresa. “Are you ready?”

“Just waiting for you,” she said with a smile.

She picked up her shoes and stood, allowing him to escort her to the door. There, she stopped and turned back to her brother.

“Don’t wait up,” she said with a wicked smile. “He gets me all dolled up and I might get a better offer.”

That elicited a ‘humph’ from the con man. She tilted her head back and smiled up at him with twinkling eyes.

“More likely I will get the better offer.”

“Gee, I didn’t think there were any women left in London who hadn’t already offered.”

“Teresa . . . “

The men laughed after the door shut behind the two. 

“He’s learnin’,” said Casino with a grin. “You been teachin’ him, Warden?”

“No,” denied Garrison. “I think it’s self-preservation.”

GGG

It was ten at night before Actor and Terry returned. The Italian was carrying the dress box and shoe box. Terry was smiling.

“It took this long to get her a dress?” asked Casino, still at the game table.

“Of course,” replied Terry, as her brother came to the door of the office. “We got there for lunch. Then it takes him,” she nodded at Actor, “forever to pick out the perfect dress, which he does so well, and the shoes. Then we went out for dinner.”

“You neglected the National Gallery,” added the con man.

“I wasn’t going to mention that,” said Terry with an unrepentant smile.

Garrison stepped into the common room. “I’m glad you had an enjoyable day,” he said. His eyes turned to Actor. “We have a mission tomorrow.”

“All of us?” asked Terry, immediately sober.

“Actor, Casino, and I,” replied Garrison.

“Where this time?” asked the con man with resignation.

“Italy.”

“And you don’t need me?” persisted Terry hopefully.

“No, we don’t need a woman.”

“I’m not sure I would put it quite that way, Lieutenant,” said Actor wistfully.

“Don’t worry, Warden,” popped up Casino. “Yuh know he’ll find one.” The safecracker looked at Actor. “And she better have a friend.”

Garrison crossed his arms in front of him. “We’re not going there on vacation.”

“What are we going there for?” asked the con man turning serious.

“Get an agent out. He thinks the Jerries are on to him.”

“So why us?” asked Casino, not having been fully briefed.

Garrison looked at his two men. “Actor speaks the language and I hope knows the area.”

“Roma?”

“North of Firenze,” replied the officer, using the Italian name for Florence.

Actor shrugged. “I am familiar with some of it.”

Garrison glanced between the two men. “We’ll brief tomorrow.”

Actor followed Teresa upstairs, carrying the boxes. The girl opened the door to her room, startling her sister who was lying atop the bed. Christine jumped up, seemingly a bit confused to have Actor walk in. He set the boxes on the bed.

“Is there something wrong with your room?” Actor asked seriously.

“No,” replied the younger girl brightly. “I didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to see the dress.”

“In that case, I will leave now,” said the con man, amused at the young one’s enthusiasm.

“Actor.”

He turned back as Teresa walked up to him. “Thank you for the shopping, the meals, and the concert.”

He smiled. “You are very welcome, cara.”

Terry kept a hand on his arm and peeked out into the hall. It was empty and the other two men had not started up the stairs yet. Turning back, she moved in close and tilted her head back, rising up on her toes. Actor bent his head to meet her kiss, with amusement accepting a very brief bit of ‘dirty kissing.’

“Good night, Ladies,” he said, chuckling.

“Buona notte, caro.” said Terry with an affectionate smile.

The Italian closed the door behind him as he left. Terry turned to see her sister’s speculative look.

Christine smiled, “You two really get into this con thing, don’t you.”

“Have to keep in practice.” Terry brushed it off.

She untied and removed the top of the dress box, brushing the almost transparent paper aside. Chris made a sharp inhalation of appreciation.

“Oh, let’s see!”

Terry carefully removed the garment and held it up. The dress was black, silky, and form fitting with slightly wider than spaghetti straps. She did not mention that had been Actor’s idea to cover a scar on her shoulder.

“Can I try it on sometime?” begged Chris.

“Not tonight, but sure you can.”

“The shoes match?”

“It’s Actor. Of course, they match. And there are two pair of silk stockings. I ruined the last pair running through the woods.”

Terry hung the dress on a hanger in the armoire and placed the box of shoes in the bottom drawer. She removed the rest of the paper from the bigger box to retrieve the hosiery and put it in the dresser.

“If you ever decide you don’t like that dress, I’ll be happy to take it off your hands.”

Terry wanted to tell her kid sister she was too young for a sexy black dress, but both of them were beyond that point. So, she joked, “I’ll leave it in my will for you.”

“Well, let’s hope I don’t get to collect it anytime soon,” said Chris with a shudder.

“Ditto, Sister.”

GGGGG

The three men sat on the hard metal bench in the belly of the plane that was to drop them into Italy. None of the three was looking forward to this. They were dressed as civilians in pants, shoes and work shirts, each with a ragged jacket. A duffle bag lay on the floor next to Garrison’s feet. It held Actor’s make-up kit, a set of SS uniforms for each man, and three hand guns. The map of the area was tucked inside the lieutenant’s shirt.

The closer they got to the jump zone, the more restless Casino became. He looked out the open door they would be jumping from. The sky was black and cloudless. An almost full moon illuminated the hills and forests below them.

“Man, they had to send us when the moon is that bright? We’re gonna be sitting ducks.”

Actor straightened his head from its resting place against the bulkhead. Past experience with the cracksman told him the little sleep he had gotten was over.

“Casino, you don’t like it when it is storming, and you don’t like it when it isn’t.” the con man observed.

“I just don’t like jumpin’ outta airplanes.”

“We know that,” said Garrison dismissively.

Their leader was just as unhappy with the weather as Casino but remained silent about it. Even flying as low as safely possible for the jump, the plane would be clearly visible to anyone on the ground, partisan and enemy. So would their three chutes. Sitting ducks was exactly what they would be. The other thing Garrison was unhappy about was going in with only half a team. Lt. Johnson’s team had been working non-stop since Garrison’s last ill-fated mission. They couldn’t keep on much more without getting serious injuries from lack of concentration due to fatigue. Craig and his men knew that from experience. So, the three of them were going in to do what five of them should have been sent to do. Oh, he supposed he could have brought Terry along. She was showing her mettle quite well, but any distance walking would slow her and them down. He was just as glad he had told her she wasn’t needed.

They sat in relative silence for another fifteen minutes. The curtain between the area the men were in and the cockpit was pushed aside and a man’s head appeared.

“Five minutes to the jump zone,” said the co-pilot. 

“Thank you,” Garrison called back.

The head disappeared and the curtain fell back down. Garrison took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Okay, hook up your static lines.”

The men rose and got in their usual order by the opening, with Casino first and then Actor. Garrison faced them, with the duffle bag. Casino looked out the hole at the almost white-looking tops of the trees and shook his head. Craig spotted the signal fire and gestured with his arm and forefinger for Casino to jump. Actor did a five count in his head and followed. Garrison did his own five count and dove out behind them.

The two chutes opened like brilliant white mushroom caps below him. Not hooked to the static line, Craig hugged the duffle with one arm and pulled the rip cord with his other hand, quickly wrapping that arm around the duffle a nanosecond before the jerk up as his chute opened. Eyes scanned the area below them and kept watch on the other men’s chutes. Something caught his eye and he turned his head just in time to spot what had to be headlights weaving through the trees about two miles from where they were to land. They had been spotted all right.

The three landed in an open field. Actor and Casino were already pulling in their chutes when Garrison landed. 

“Leave them!” shouted the officer. “We’ve been spotted. Head for the woods!”

A man in rough clothing emerged from the trees ahead of them. The three men ran full out toward him. As they caught up with the man, he joined them as they disappeared into the trees.

“Jerries are coming,” said Garrison.

“This way,” said the man.

He led them on an angle through the trees and brush. It was dark in the woods, but they did not dare slow down. Casino caught his foot on a root and fell heavily. Actor grabbed him by the arm and hauled him up. A few skips on one foot and the safecracker was back running. 

The terrain became inclined and the running was more difficult. Garrison held back and listened. There were faint noises in the distance. He turned and caught up with the others. 

“How much farther, Giulio?” he asked puffing.

“Another hour, uphill,” said the partisan.

Another hundred yards and he turned to the left, starting an even sharper climb through rocks and bushes up an escarpment. At the top, they veered right across rock. The way was impossible to see, but Giulio did not hesitate. They plunged down more rocks and then up more hills. Trees were scattered between the rocks and boulders now. The Italian man leapt through like a mountain goat. Garrison and the other two were becoming winded as they made a steep ascent. Finally, Giulio stopped and waited for the three to catch up. 

“This way.” 

The men looked at one another. It did not look like there was any place to go except over a cliff. The partisan dropped down and his head disappeared from sight. Garrison led the way, barely making out a tiny track that disappeared between two boulders. They inched through the tight space and came out into a flat area with a rock overhang. Giulio motioned with his arm for them to go under the overhang. It opened into a dry cave with a low ceiling. Garrison had to stand with bent head. Actor had to crunch down. Casino scraped his head on a low protrusion of rock and, with a soft curse, ducked down like the other two. Giulio moved around them and bent even lower to move between two walls. Twenty feet further and they entered a room of the cave where they could stand easily.

There was dim light coming from somewhere. The partisan moved with familiar ease around the walls of the room, adjusting something here and there. Finally, the men heard a match strike and watched an oil lamp being lit. It threw light around the room. The lamp was placed in the center of a table along one wall. The men looked around at boxes of supplies and guns. There were blankets stacked on one box.

“You are safe here,” said the partisan. “The Germans have yet to find this place.”

Casino and Actor sat on some boxes and tried to catch their breath. Garrison stayed with the Italian man.

“Where are the rest of your men?” asked Garrison.

“Scattered, captured, dead,” replied the man with a gesture of defeat. “One of the men was well paid to turn us in.”

“What about the agent?’

Giulio shook his head. “They executed him three days ago.”

“What!” Casino burst out. “So, what are we doin’ here?”

“We couldn’t contact you,” said Giulio. “Our radioman destroyed the radio just before the Germans killed him.”

“So now what is the plan?” asked Actor.

The partisan shrugged. “The only thing you can do is head for La Spezia. I will show you on a map. There is a contact there who can help you get to Marseilles. From there you will have to find your own way back to England.”

“Are you coming with us?” asked Garrison quietly.

“No,” the man shook his head. “I have family who has scattered up into the hills behind our village. I must find them and help them.”

“So how do we get to this La Spezia?” asked Casino.

“There is no safe way with the Germans in all the towns. They are shooting any man they find. Even the old ones and the children. You will have to cross the mountains.”

“They as bad as this?” asked the safecracker.

“No, Casino,” said Actor. “They are worse. Much worse. We are in the foothills.”

“At least it is not winter,” said the partisan philosophically. “The Apennines are treacherous in winter.”

The eastern slopes were not too hospitable in summer either, thought Actor. He declined to mention that.


	9. Chapter 9

“Sgt./Major Collins.”

“Who?”

“This is Sgt./Major Collins.”

“Uh, okay. Uh, this is Kelly Garrison. Are either my brother or my sister there?”

“Ah, yes,” replied the non-com. “A moment please.” He set the receiver on the table. “Miss Terry?” he called out.

Terry walked out of the library, book in hand. “For me?”

“Yes, Miss. It’s your brother.”

Terry frowned at that pronouncement. She picked up the receiver. “Where are you and what happened?” she demanded into the phone.

“I’m at an undisclosed location I can’t tell you where and nothing happened yet.” Kelly replied with amusement. “Who is Sgt./Major Collins?”

“Don’t ask,” said Terry with fake cheerfulness. “What’s up, Brat?”

“You know where Chris is? She didn’t answer at your flat.”

“She’s here. Hang on.” Terry set the receiver down and leaned over the stair railing. “Chris!”

A moment later the younger girl appeared at the top landing.

“Your presence has been requested.”

“What?”

“Phone.”

Chris came down the stairs and Terry handed her the phone. The older sister watched the one-sided conversation. She could tell it was a mission. Chris hung up and turned to Terry. 

“Seeing as you’re not wearing them right now, can I borrow your boots so I don’t have to go to the flat?”

Terry nodded. “If you need clothes, take what you want.” She eyed her younger sibling. “Not the black dress.”

Two hours later, a beat-up nondescript car pulled into the car park. Collins answered the door and the two eyed each other. The eyes, height, and hair color told the Englishman this was the Leftenant’s brother.

Chris came downstairs, dressed in Terry’s trousers, blouse, and boots. The older sister came out of Garrison’s office and walked up to give her brother a hug.

“You’re getting too big,” she said.

“Just trying to catch up with Craig.”

“You’re leaving, Miss Christine?” asked the Sgt./Major.

“Yes,” smiled the girl. “How long are we going to be gone?” she asked her brother.

Kelly shrugged. “Hard to say.”

“Where are you going, Miss?” asked Collins. He assumed the Leftenant would want to know about this.

Kelly’s eyebrows came together and his tone was unfriendly. “Our aunt is very sick and wants to see Chris. We don’t know how long we will be gone.”

“You have an aunt in England?” asked the Sgt./Major in confusion.

Terry looked skyward in supplication behind the Englishman’s back.

Kelly did not answer him. Instead he turned his frown toward his older sister. “Craig out?”

Terry nodded.

“So why are you two here?”

“We have wounded upstairs,” she said simply.

Kelly nodded and turned to go out the door. Chris was right behind him.

“Take care of yourselves,” called Terry.

“Always try to,” returned Kelly.

Terry stood in the doorway and watched Chris climb in the front seat, while Kelly got behind the wheel. A short dark-haired man could be seen in the back on the passenger side. Terry waved at Tinker and got a wave in response. The car turned and drove away. The girl shut the door and faced an unhappy Collins. 

“He didn’t answer my question,” said the man indignantly.

“No, he didn’t,” said Terry. She eyed the man. “Before us, you didn’t have much contact with special forces, did you?”

“No, Miss,” answered Collins, wondering where this was going.

“Sometimes it’s better not to question someone, even if he is a relative.”

“He’s special forces?” asked Collins in surprise.

“Let’s just say he isn’t regular army either,” said Terry.

“But he’s too young!” objected the Sgt./Major.

“Terry sighed. “I agree with you on that one. He was fourteen when he came over. They both lied about their ages. Now they’re in it and they aren’t getting out. They don’t want to either.” She eyed the man. “I can’t answer any more questions. I’m not sure you have enough clearance for that.”

That insulted the non-com. “I have enough clearance for this group.”

“Yes, but they aren’t part of this group.”

Terry walked away and mounted the stairs to check on the two invalids in the upstairs common room.

GGGGG

Craig and Actor studied the map and the route Giulio had marked for them. It was not going to be any easier than getting out of Yugoslavia had been that time. Casino didn’t bother to look, just figuring it wasn’t going to be good.

“You familiar with any of this?” asked Garrison quietly.

Actor shook his head. “I am a little familiar with the mountains, but I crossed them in a different area, just as harsh.”

“And you don’t know any of this?”

Actor turned a raised eyebrow at the lieutenant. “I was eleven at the time. I was with . . .” He stopped, aware of Casino listening. “. . . Someone.”

“Had to be a dame,” grumbled the safecracker.

“At eleven?” laughed Garrison.

Casino grinned at the Italian. “The way he is with women, he had to have started early.”

“That does bring up a point,” said the con man, turning his back on the man to address Garrison. “There are a lot of scattered huts and sheep farms up here. These people have been here for many generations and they do not take kindly to strangers. Especially with their women.” The last was aimed at Casino.

“Told yuh,” said Casino.

“Come on,” said Garrison. “The sooner we leave, the sooner we get to La Spezia.” He also wanted to forestall an argument between Casino and Actor.

Actor picked up the duffle bag and followed Garrison out of the cave. Casino unenthusiastically took up the rear. The sun had not reached all the nooks and crevices on the side of the mountain. The safecracker looked up at the steep slope of the mountain and shook his head. It didn’t look any more hospitable in the daylight than it had in moonlight. He followed the two men as they started up what couldn’t even be called a trail. It was a meandering line of stone imbedded dirt that wove through grass and then disappeared over rock. As they climbed, the trail led them along sheer drop offs and rocky overhangs. 

“No Kraut in his right mind would follow us up here,” grumbled the safecracker.

“Let us hope not,” said Actor.

GGGGG

With Chris and the Lieutenant gone, the Sgt./Major eased back into his ways, to the chagrin of Terry and the two injured men who had to be dependent for the most part on Terry and the Englishman. Terry went to the farm market alone and returned with food that could not be had in the markets. She had traded eggs and vegetables for meat, sugar, and strawberry jam. Collins watched her disapprovingly as she wrapped the meat in wax paper and cloth and tied it up before putting it in the freezer part of the refrigerator.

“Most people don’t have a refrigerator, let alone a freezer,” complained the Sgt./Major.

“Most people back home don’t either,” said Terry. “The people who own this estate definitely don’t qualify as most people.”

When she was done putting away the groceries, Terry got out the bag of National flour and a stocking she kept with it. The Englishman watched her hold the stocking over a big mixing bowl and carefully pour the flour into it, letting the almost white part of the flour sift into the bowl.

“Wot are you doing?” Collins asked.

“Separating the bran from the white flour,” said Terry. “The guys don’t like bread with the bran in it. I use it for chicken feed.”

“That’s a bloomin’ waste,” objected the man. His Cockney came out stronger the more upset he got.

“It’s not a waste,” said Terry, trying to keep her temper. “I feed it to the chickens. We eat eggs and meat from the chickens. Not a waste. It would be if I simply threw it out.” She was on the verge of losing her composure. “I’m going to make bread. I know how to do that, and I don’t need you looking over my shoulder or getting in my way. Didn’t Craig leave you some filing and typing?”

The two exchanged a glare. Terry turned away from him and went into the pantry to get the jar of oil and the container of sugar. Collins glared after her for another moment before he turned and walking out of the kitchen. He didn’t hear the sigh of relief the girl gave.

Things did not improve the next day. Goniff and Chief had managed to get downstairs. Chief was in the chair by the window and Goniff was taking advantage of Actor’s absence to sit in the con man’s chair. Reading a book was not keeping the Cockney happy, besides giving him a headache. He had a desire for a good cuppa. Trying to get one out of the Sgt./Major was impossible. The non-com was in Garrison’s office with Terry, typing the analysis of the raw intel she was working on. Taking advantage of the situation, Goniff got up and slipped past the open office door. He made it to the kitchen without being noticed by anyone except the Indian. 

Goniff put the tin of tea back on the upper shelf in the butler’s pantry. With a smile, he looked down at the clear dark liquid in his cup. It was strong and had just the right amount of sugar in it. The cup was on a saucer with two biscuits that Terry kept hidden for him. He took a sip before heading into the kitchen, a satisfied grin on his face.

“’Ere now, what are you doing?”

“I’m ‘aving a cuppa,” said Goniff in exasperation. “Wot’s it look like I’m doing?”

“That’s more tea than we are rationed,” objected the Sgt/Maj.

Goniff lost his pleasant mood. “Well, seeing as you and me are the only ones who drink it, I think we ‘ave enough to last awhile. Outta me way, Mate,” said the blond Englishman, pushing past the man to go out to the common room where hopefully he could drink his tea in peace.

Out in the common room, the pickpocket handed a biscuit to Chief before sitting back in Actor’s chair with his tea and biscuit.

The Indian took a bit of the cookie and grinned. “How’d you get this past Collins?”

“I didn’t give ‘im time to complain about that. ‘E were too busy complainin’ about the tea.” The gamin face broke into a pleased grin.

GGG

The phone rang just after they had eaten supper. Terry was able to grab it before the Sgt./Major. She could hear the sounds of a bar in the background but wasn’t sure if it was the Doves or the Fox.

“Terry?” 

It was Kit at the Fox. The girl sounded upset.

“What’s the matter?” asked Terry.

“I need you to come right away,” said Kit.

“Something going on there?” It didn’t sound like there was a problem. No fights, no loud arguments in the background.

“It’s not about the bar. It’s the other business.”

Terry tensed. “Be right there.” She hung up the phone and turned to the two cons. “I’m sorry, Guys. I have to go.”

“Somethin’ wrong?” asked Chief.

“Probably not,” said the girl. “Kit’s got her knickers in a wad over something. I’m not sure what.”

Neither of the men bought that one. Kit’s knickers got in a wad fairly frequently and Terry had never dropped and run before. It couldn’t be something with the Warden; not with Kit calling about it, and Terry would have said. Maybe Chris? That put some worry in Chief’s mind.

“You aren’t comin’ back tonight, are you Love?” said Goniff.

“I don’t know,” replied the girl with a frown. “Like I said, it’s probably nothing. Could just be somebody wanted to talk to me and doesn’t want to talk to . . . anyone else. Most of my contacts know to call the Fox if they can’t get me.”

“Just how many groups are you workin’ for?” asked Chief.

Terry smiled. “Never counted. I’m freelance. I’ll work for anybody who’s on our side.”

She turned and ran up the stairs to her room. Donning a pair of shoes in place of the slippers and grabbing the keys to the MG, she hurried back downstairs. Collins was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Chief and Goniff were watching warily.  
“Is there something wrong?” asked the Sgt./Major. “I thought I heard the phone.”

“Nothing wrong,” smiled Terry. “I just need to go help out at the Fox for a while.”

GGG

It was mid-week and the bar was fairly quiet. Mostly it was their regulars and small group of fliers from Archbury who didn’t want or have time to make the drive to London. Kit was behind the bar, trying not to look upset. Terry walked to the curtain going to the back room and motioned with her head for the girl to come over. Kit wiped her hands on a bar towel and joined Terry.

“What’s going on?” asked Terry in a low voice.

“It’s Shiv,” said Kit, clearly worried now. “He got shot. He’s at a safe house in Calais. He was with a cell in Saint-Omer. They were raided. The radioman destroyed the radio before they killed him. Calais radioed us with a message. Jake wants you to bring another radio over and get him out of there.”

“Doesn’t want much does he,” said Terry. “Do we have another radio?” 

Kit nodded, keeping a watchful eye on the bar. “Madge has one on its way here.” She glanced at Terry. “Can you get him out?”

“How bad is he shot?”

“Don’t know.”

Terry did not like the uncertainties. That one of their cells had been raided was worrisome for having a mole in the group. How badly Jake was injured was another worry. Getting a radio over there she could do. She’d done it a couple times before. Getting an injured man out might be a problem.

“Okay,” she said. “Just take care of the bar. I’ll be in the basement with Madge trying to arrange an escape plan.”

Kit nodded. “Where’s Craig?”

“Italy, probably for a week,” said Terry. “We’ll be back before he is. Oh, and Chris is out too. If anything comes up while I’m gone, handle it as best you can.”

“You know my best isn’t very good. That’s why we have you and Shiv.”

“You’ll be fine,” assured Terry.

GGGGG

It was almost too dark to see when the three men came upon a cabin clinging precariously to the side of a mountain slope. Casino checked it out. It was empty and looked like it had been for awhile. One hinge on the door was broken and the two windows were without glass. It was obviously not a safe house. There was no food. None of them had eaten since leaving England.

“Where’s the Indian when you need him,” grumbled Casino.

“Probably in his comfortable chair, being waited on by the two girls,” said Actor.

Garrison made sure the glassless windows were completely covered by the shutters before lighting a partially burnt candle. It gave off little light and did nothing to improve the ambience of the one room. It was amazing the table was still upright with the condition of its legs. Every bit of furnishings had been reduced to kindling at some point. There were no chairs, no beds, and not even anything that could be loosely construed as a mattress. A thick layer of dust covered everything with no sign of anybody inhabiting the place for a long time.

There was a fireplace. Garrison crouched down and built a smokeless fire with the ‘kindling’. There were no blankets, so this would be the only thing keeping them warm during the cold night at the altitude they were at.

The three were exhausted. Though in good physical condition, they had spent the entire day traveling up and down sheer hills in altitude. Despite the long climbs, in a straight line they were not very far from where they had started and were not close to the summit.

Garrison was quiet and introspective. Another mission gone wrong. Their track record sure had not been good recently. 

“It ain’t your fault, Babe,” said Casino from his place along a different section of wall.

“You are right, Casino,” said Actor. “However, he will still try to make it his fault.”

Garrison glanced at both men. They knew him as well or better than he knew them. And they were right. Now it was up to him to get them out of here and safely back to England.


	10. Chapter 10

Goniff was the one at the window watching the battered car pull into the car park. He saw the youngest Garrison girl get out of the backseat and wearily walk toward the steps without even a wave at the departing vehicle. She looked almost as battered as the car.

“Chris, an’ she’s a mess,” said the pickpocket quietly.

Chief tried to turn around enough to see the Cockney. When he couldn’t, he turned back to watch the door. It opened and the girl walked in. Her eyes moved straight to Chief. 

“Blimey,” said Goniff. “Are you all right?”

Chris nodded. “Just some scratches and bruises.” She looked around. “Where’s Terry?” She wasn’t looking forward to telling her older sister she had ruined a set of her clothes.

“We don’t know,” said Chief. “She left after you did. Got a call from the Fox, left and never came back.”

Christine frowned.

“What happened to you, Miss?”

Usually calm and cheerful, the girl was not in the mood for the Sgt./Major. “I tangled with some bushes.”

“I’ll get the aid kit,” said the non-com brusquely.

“I don’t need the aid kit,” said Chris. “I’ve been treated.”

“Well it doesn’t look like somebody did a good job,” he sniffed.

Chris looked at the two men in the common room with a silent desperation.

“We’re good,” said Chief, “aren’t we Goniff?”

“Just fine, Love,” assured the pickpocket.

“Go on home,” urged the Indian. He would have liked her to stay, but Collins would probably have made her more miserable than she already seemed to be.

She looked between the two men uncertainly.

“Go on,” said Goniff seriously. “Come back for a visit when you’re feelin’ better.”

She headed for the stairs.

“Where are you going, Miss?” asked Collins.

“To get the keys to the motorcycle,” replied the girl. Was this what Terry had to go through; being questioned about every move she made?

“Take the Packard,” said Chief, getting to his feet. “We’ll call you when the Warden gets back. You can bring the car back then.”

“Here now,” objected the Sgt./Major. “You can’t take the car. Wot if we need it?”

“She can’t ride the motorcycle in the shape she’s in,” said Chief, starting to limp forward with his cane.

“You got a problem with that too . . . Mate?” asked Goniff, face with a frown and an expression of challenge. He stood up and moved level with the Indian.

“You gotta problem, you take it up with both of us,” snarled Chief, switchblade dropping into his hand. “Get outta here, Chris.”

The girl darted forward and gave first Goniff and then Chief a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’ll be back later.”

She hurried past the British non-com, noting the look of sheer frustration on the man’s face. The two cons continued to glare at Collins.

“I don’t know wot you’re really ‘ere for, Mate,” said Goniff seriously. “But if it’s to improve British and American relations, yer doin’ a pretty poor job o’ it.”

Chief kept his cold dark eyes on the man facing them. “We put up with your lousy cookin’ and your ‘it’s not rations’,” he said. “We aren’t putting up with you givin’ the girls a hard time. They’re nuthin’ but good to us and we don’t take kindly to anybody messin’ with them.”

“They don’t belong living in this house with you men,” said Collins, beak of a nose in the air.

“Warden decides who belongs in this house,” said Chief. “He decided Terry and Chris can stay. He got outranked with you.”

Collins sniffed in disgust and turned toward the dining room. “I’m going to start dinner.”

“Don’t bother,” said Chief. Collins turned his head to look at the Indian. Chief looked at Goniff. “Right about now, I’d be happy with your ‘potato surprise.’ Feel up tuh cookin’? I mean as long as the ‘surprise’ ain’t Spam.”

The pickpocket grinned. “I’d be ‘appy to, Mate.”

With a grin, Chief twirled his blade and closed it one-handed. Goniff sauntered past the Sgt./Major and disappeared into the kitchen. Collins ignored the man with the knife and went into Garrison’s office, closing the door. A few minutes later, the sounds of the typewriter came from behind the closed door.

Collins thought as he typed. Try to get along with them. That’s what he had been told to do. Follow what Leftenant Garrison says, not what the British army taught. Well, he wasn’t getting along with them. Garrison had told him how they lived and worked. It just went against all his years of training in the military. So, they ate Black Market food. They went to the pub pretty much as they felt like it. And Garrison didn’t seem to mind. The Yanks come over here and their soldiers made two to three times the money the British soldiers did. And they flaunted it. But he had to admit, when it came to the food and that, these blokes shared with him. He had been given a cot, which was all he had expected. Then, they gave him a bed; a real bed. The girls had tried to help him and he had refused to follow their teaching. Maybe, just maybe, he was the one at fault.

GGGGG

Christine opened the door to the flat in Brandonshire and walked in, slumping back against the closed door and sighing in relief. It had been bad. What they had gone in after had been destroyed before they got there. The Jerries had been waiting for them. It was the boys’ quick thinking that got them away with only minor injuries and back to the pick-up point.

A slight noise had her looking up sharply. Her sister limped into the living room and stopped to look at her. Terry did not look any better than Christine felt.

“What happened?” asked Chris. “You’re hurt.”

Terry shook her head and dropped onto the couch, putting a swollen left ankle up on the seat. “Went down an incline the fast way,” she replied.

“What happened to you?”

“Had to outrun the Jerries.”

“We’re all doing good, aren’t we?” said Terry with a touch of sarcasm.

“Why are you here?” asked Chris. She threw herself down on the other end of the couch. “Chief and Goniff said you had left, but not that you were back.”

Terry looked at her sister guiltily. “I’m nursemaiding Shiv. He’s in Kit’s flat. I had to bring him out. He caught a bullet in the shoulder.” She paused before adding, “And I’m not up right now for dealing with Collins.” She frowned. “Why are you here?”

“Same reason. Not Shiv though.”

“The others aren’t back yet?”

Chris shook her head. “If Craig had been there, I might have stayed.”

Terry counted days in her mind. “I guess it is a little soon for them to be back.”

GGGGG

They reached the top of the solid craggy rock peak and sat down to catch their breaths. Casino saw it first and stared to make sure his mind wasn’t playing tricks on him.

“That the Mediterranean?”

The other two men followed his gaze and studied the brilliant blue water in the distance, visible between two lower peaks. 

“Technically, it is the Ligurian Sea,” said Actor.

“Screw technically, is that where we’re going?” 

“Yes,” replied Garrison, to ward off another argument between the two men.

He looked at them both. Three days growth of beard covered their faces and hid part of the dirt. Last night had been spent under a rock overhang that did nothing to keep them dry or warm during the intense storm that had hit them. Their clothing was wrinkled and torn in spots. Craig knew he didn’t look any better than they did.

“It won’t be quite as steep from now on,” added Actor.

“How much more snow?” asked the cracksman. “It’s too darn cold up here.”

“We should be clear of it on the other side of that ridge,” Actor pointed.

“An’ how many more days of this?”

“Two, probably three,” answered Garrison. He had pulled the map from his shirt and was studying it. 

“All this for nuthin’,” grumbled Casino.

Garrison folded the map up and tucked in back inside his shirt. “Look at all the exercise you’re getting, Casino. You’ll be in much better shape when we get back to England. Maggie should appreciate that.”

Actor chuckled as the safecracker pivoted around to give their leader a narrow-eyed look. 

“Whadda you know about Maggie?” he demanded.

“Just what I hear in the pub,” said Garrison nonchalantly.

Now Casino gave a snort of laughter. “You don’t go to the Doves with us,” he said dismissively.

“You’re right. I don’t go there with you.” Craig smiled

That brought renewed chuckling from Actor.

“Come on,” said Garrison. “Let’s get going. It’s downhill for a while.”

GGG

They managed to top the ridge Actor had pointed out and followed an animal track down the other side. The shadows were getting longer when they heard the tinkling of bells. Actor silently motioned for Garrison and Casino to stay where they were. The big man continued on, following the sound. Going over a rise, he came upon a small herd of sheep, complete with an old shepherd, only this shepherd was holding an ax menacingly.

“Buonasera,” said Actor pleasantly.

“Chi sei?” asked the grizzled man suspiciously.

“Travelers,” said Actor in Italian. “We are on our way to the sea.”

“Partigiani?”

Actor shook his head.

The man glanced at his flock to make sure they were not straying. “But you do not wish to be found. Eh?”

The con man gave a half grin. “No, we do not wish to be found.”

“How many are you?”

“Three.”

The man nodded. “Bring your friends,” he said. “You may stay with me tonight. I have little to offer except bread and cheese, but you will have a roof over your heads.”

“Thank you,” said Actor.

The man gave a sharp whistle that put Actor on alert. A large dirty white dog trotted up from the other side of the sheep herd. The con man relaxed though there was no change in his countenance. Now, he gave a whistle and the other two men emerged from behind some boulders.

“We have a shelter for the night,” said Actor.

“You trust him?” asked Garrison with faith in the con man’s assessment of people.

“I trust no one, Warden,” said Actor. “You know that.”

“Says a lot for us,” Casino said sarcastically.

Actor pasted a smile on his face. “Present company excluded, naturally.”

“Naturally,” shot back the safecracker.

As the three approached the shepherd, the white dog bared its teeth and growled menacingly, ears back. The men stopped and stood still. A word from the old man made the growling cease. The dog slowly approached Actor and sniffed the con man. Cautiously, he reached down and stroked the thick furred back. The animal turned its head toward the other two men and curled its lips.

“Must be female,” remarked Casino, eyeing the animal.

“Italian,” said Actor with a grin.

“So, what am I?” shot back the safecracker.

“American.”

They followed the shepherd down the hill to a rundown shack tucked between some boulders. It did not appear too stable. The old man, who told Actor his name was Beppe, led them inside. The interior was dark, smoky and looked like it had not been cleaned any more recently than its owner had. There was a smell of smoke, stale food, and body odor; rather like the old man.

“At least it’s got a roof,” murmured Garrison.

Actor pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and shook one out, offering it to the old man. A wide smile, showing several missing and crooked teeth, greeted that as he took one from the pack.

“Grazie,” said Beppe.

Actor gave a short, tilted nod in return, placed a cigarette between his lips and pulled out a match, striking it on the sole of his shoe and holding it out so the shepherd could light his first. They both took a deep inhalation. Actor went over to one of the walls and sat down on his heels as though comfortable. Like the other two men, this left him ready to spring up if anything untoward happened. 

Beppe brought out a board with a partially eaten loaf of crusty, hard bread and removed a cloth covered cheese from the cupboard. They were placed in the center of a dirty table and a wicked looking knife was laid beside them. The cheese was unwrapped from the sheep greased cloth that kept it sealed from air. The whiteness of the semi-soft cheese brought a smile to the confidence man’s face.

The shepherd motioned them to come to the table. They got up and helped Beppe bring some crates closer for seating. Bread was broken off by each man and Actor sliced cheese for each, carefully taking only a small portion, as it was obvious the old man had little food.

Casino tentatively took a bite of the cheese. They were all used to the hard, yellow cheese. This was soft and white . . . and delicious. “Hey, Actor, what is this? It’s good!”

Actor laughed. “Pecorino.”

“Naw, we had Pecorino at home. It was hard and dry. Yuh slivered it or grated it.”

“You had aged pecorino,” said the con man. “You can’t get this in the States. It’s fresh cheese. It isn’t aged.”

“It’s great,” said Casino with an enthusiasm that Garrison had not seen in a long time. The safecracker reached for the knife to cut another piece.

“Casino,” said Actor quietly. “This is probably all he has to eat. He is very kind to share it with us.”

“Oh, yeah, right,” said the safecracker, slowly bringing his arm back.

“Si può avere di più,” said Beppe, understanding why they were taking so little when they obviously liked it. “Posso fare di più.” He motioned for Actor to cut more.

“Grazie mille.”

The con man carefully sliced more of the semisoft cheese and gave it to Casino and Garrison. 

“I didn’t get that,” said Garrison.

“He is very generous. He is saying we can take more because he can make more.”

Casino looked at the shepherd and grinned. “Grazie.”

“Grazie,” echoed Garrison.

The old man smiled.

Later that evening, by the light of candles, Actor had Garrison bring out the map. With the con man translating, they were shown a quicker way to get to down the mountain to La Spezia.

GGG

It still took them a day and a half to get there. Garrison waited until dark and they made their way through alleys to the back door of a bakery that was a safe house. They were welcomed in and given a place to sleep. The next night, they were on a fishing boat to Marseilles. The German U-boats were making it impossible for a sub to come get them. It meant another day in an attic over a tailor’s shop. The following day they boarded a train, in their German uniforms with papers, passes and tickets from the underground. This took them to Limoges, where they changed trains and went on to Brest. 

It looked like they were home free, almost. The three, now dressed as fishermen, were on their way to the wharf to get on yet another fishing boat that would take them to Southampton when sirens blared. Casino and Actor looked to Garrison for instructions.

“Keep going!” urged Garrison.

Actor was in the lead, followed by Casino and then Garrison. Bombs seemed to be falling all around them. The noise was deafening and the ground shook. Smoke and dust made visibility poor. The wharf came into sight and they started to sprint for it. They reached the end of the block when the building next to them exploded, knocking them down and raining mortar and stone over them.


	11. Chapter 11

The military car pulled up into the car park. It was almost a relief to get back to the familiar place they called home. Almost, but not quite. All three of them were tired, depressed, and injured though not seriously. Still, he knew the men would have looked forward to Terry’s almost motherly ministrations. He would have himself if he was honest and right now, he was pretty close to honest.

Garrison thanked the driver before opening the door. Moving stiffly and painfully, the three of them slowly climbed out and watched the car pull away, reluctant to go inside even if it was ‘home’. The door to the mansion opened and the Sgt./Major stepped onto the portico. Craig had not bothered to sound the horn for injured.

“Come on,” said Garrison with weary resignation.

They slowly went up the steps. Casino had the duffle this time and was glad to be done hauling it all over Italy and France. At the top, Collins took in the tattered clothing, dirt, and blood stains, along with the unshaven faces and listless eyes. He stopped Garrison with a hand out.

“You’re all injured, Sir?” he asked. “Why aren’t you at hospital?”

“Because we don’t need a hospital,” Craig replied. He pushed past the man, not having his usual patience with Collins.

The cons walked past him without so much as a glance. The Sgt./Major followed them inside.

“’Ere now,” he said. “I’ll get the aid kits and be right there. We’ll have you right as rain in a bit.”

“No,” said Garrison. He looked at the man, aware his two men were standing silently behind him, watching, as were the two in the chairs in the common room. “It would be helpful if you would make up some sandwiches, without Spam, and bring them up.”

“But . . .,” objected the non-com in confusion. 

“That’s all, Sgt./Major,” said Garrison with the military demeanor of an order.

They watched as Collins saluted, turned and muttered on his way to the kitchen.

“Warden . . .,” started Casino.

“I’ll find her. Go get yourselves settled up there.”

Craig went into his office and closed the door. He listened to the booted feet clomping slowly up the steps, the concerned voices of the other two men joining them, before taking a seat at his desk and reaching for the phone.

GGG

“Hello?”

It was Christine who answered at Terry’s flat.

“Where’s your sister?” asked Craig.

“She’s here,” said Chris. “Are you all right?”

“Not exactly,” admitted the older brother. “Let me talk to Terry.”

He heard her call for the older girl. A moment later Terry answered.

“Craig? What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing major. We all have some injuries. Can you come? They want you. I want you.”

“Will he let . . .” she started in disgust. Her demeanor changed. “No, I will see to it he lets me. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

“Be careful.”

“I’m always careful. I also have a fast car.”

“Okay.”

GGG

The front door opened, and Terry limped brusquely in. Collins was at the foot of the stairs. He looked at her with caution.

“I’m taking care of them,” she said forcefully. “And I don’t want to hear a word out of you. Understand?’

“Yes, Miss.”

Terry bounded with a hopping gait up the stairs and to her brother’s room. The Englishman followed but kept his distance and was silent. The girl was aware of his presence and ignored him. She looked at her brother and took in the cuts and scrapes on his torso. He was clad in his pants and had stood up from the bed when he heard her coming up the stairs. 

“All of you?” she asked.

He nodded. Bomb blast. Mostly stone abrasions. I don’t know if Actor has shrapnel. He was closest, but he wouldn’t let me check him out.” He looked her in the eyes. “Thanks for coming.”

“All you have to do is call,” she said gently.

She turned to get the aid kit from her room, figuring she would be going through everything they had on all of the men. Collins backed out of her way but followed her.

In a quiet voice, he asked, “Miss?”

Terry stopped and looked back at him. 

“I would like to help,” he said. “They’re good lads. They really are. Just the lads are boisterous at times.”

Terry nodded. “I guess that’s one way of describing them.” She looked at the man and saw his sincerity. “Okay. Can you get some water heating on the stove? It’s faster than waiting for that old boiler to kick in.”

“I’ll find some basins too,” he said with more of his usual energy.

Terry retrieved the aid kit from her room and returned to Craig’s room. He frowned when he noticed she was limping.

“What happened to you?” 

“Sprained my ankle,” she replied. She went about opening the aid kit on the desk while her brother took a seat on the chair. “It had rained, the rock I was standing on came loose, I couldn’t keep my balance, twisted and ended up at the bottom of the hill.” She studied the dirt and scrapes on her brother’s chest and back. She could hear water from the shower in one of the other rooms. “Go take a shower before there isn’t any hot water left. Collins is heating water on the stove so I can clean you guys up better. I’ll wait.”

Garrison got pajama bottoms from his armoire and disappeared into his bathroom. Terry sat on the chair and waited. He came out just as the Sgt./Major walked in with a basin of hot water. The girl got up and let her brother sit, motioning Collins to put the basin beside the kit on the desk. Wetting a gauze pad, she gently wiped the scrapes and scratches on Craig’s chest and right arm. 

“Tell me it wasn’t Joe again,” she said.

“No, it was the Germans.”

Collins stood aside and watched. The girl cleansed the wounds and then applied ointment to them. She moved to his back and did the same to those wounds. When she was done, she gathered everything up except the basin.

“Where to next?” asked the non-com.

“That sounded like Casino’s shower,” said Terry. “Too far away for it to be Actor’s. We’ll go to Casino next.”

“I’ll go get fresh water.”

“Thank you, Sgt./Major.”

Craig waited until Collins had taken the basin away before looking at his sister. “You staying?”

She shook her head. “Probably not. I have things I have to do,” she said vaguely.

“Be careful doing those things you have to do,” warned Garrison.

Terry smiled. “Not dangerous this time.” She headed for the door while Garrison got up and sat on the bed. Pausing, she said, “Call me if you need me.”

“Okay. Thanks for coming, Sis.”

“Anytime, Brother.”

She went down the hall to Casino’s room and tapped on the door. There was no sound of water now.

“Come on in.”

Terry opened the door and walked in. The safecracker was sitting on his bed, clad only in his regulation shorts.

“Glad you came, Babe,” he said. 

Terry smiled. “Okay, where are you damaged?”

“Front, side and back,” he replied. He noticed her gait. “What happened to you?”

“Took the fast way down a hill.”

“Well, that makes it unanimous. All of us got it.” 

Terry went in the bathroom and got the aid kit out of there. She sincerely hoped the Sgt./Major wouldn’t question how they all came to have their own aid kits. It had been half con and half larceny from the army base outside London. She came out with the fresh aid kit and set it beside the safecracker on the bed. Opening it, she took out the little tube of ointment. Tilting Casino’s head back with a finger under his chin, she spread a thin coat on an abrasion on his cheek.

“Wanna kiss it an’ make it better?”

“No.”

“You would for Beautiful,” he said sullenly.

“Oh, would you stop already? Collins will walk in any second,” she said in a quiet voice.

As if on cue, the Sgt./Major pushed the door open farther and came in with a basin of clean water. He set it on the chair seat and studied Casino’s chest and arm. 

“’E got it a little worse than the Leftenant,” Collins remarked.

“I was closer to the building,” said Casino, reluctantly eyeing Terry with understanding.

Terry didn’t say anything. She started the cleansing and ointment process with Casino like she had done with Craig. Collins walked around the bed and stopped short. It was the first time he had seen the safecracker’s entire back.

“Blimey! Those aren’t that old.”

“No,” said Terry. “They were before you came.”

Collins shook his head. “The Jerries do that?”

Casino was about to give a smart answer back, but the girl caught his eye and gave a minute shake of her head. “Yeah,” was all he said. He was still self-conscious about the scars.

Terry worked silently on the rest of his injuries. When she was done, she gathered up both aid kits. The Sgt./Major picked up the basin and headed downstairs. The girl paused, waiting until she heard him start down the stairs and turned back to Casino. Bending down, she planted a big kiss on his forehead.

“Happy?”

“No,” he tossed back at her. “That wasn’t what I had in mind.”

“Sorry, Babe, that’s all you’re getting.”

“Figures,” he said with a lopsided grin.

Chuckling, Terry went into the hall and waited for the Sgt./Major to come back upstairs. The man seemed to have as big a problem with her and Actor as Casino had, only different. When Collins arrived, Terry walked into Actor’s bedroom with him right behind her. The bathroom door was open, and the shower could be heard. It was not a good sign to Terry because she knew the Italian loved his tub baths, even with the water restriction.

“Actor?”

“Be right out.” The dull tone of his voice was evidence of his exhaustion.

“We’re both out here,” Terry warned. She knew without that he was just apt to come out without a towel around himself, knowing his nudity would not bother the girl.

“All right,” he acknowledged.

The water was turned off and they could hear the curtain being pulled back. 

“Craig said he thought you had shrapnel,” said the girl. “Were you able to get all your wounds cleaned?”

“I believe there is shrapnel in the back of my right shoulder,” Actor said. “I can’t see it, but I did wash it as best I can. It feels like something small and sharp is under the skin.”

Terry turned to the non-com. “In Craig’s bathroom there is an aid kit with a scalpel and forceps. Could you get it for me?”

“Right away,” he said, hurrying out of the room.

Actor emerged from the bathroom, hair wet and slicked back, a towel barely covering him from the hips downward. He looked at Terry with open relief, uncommon for him.

“Get on your stomach on the bed and I’ll cover you,” urged Terry.

He quickly tossed the towel on a chair and slide facedown onto the bed. The girl pulled the covers up well above his waist; patting his backside lightly in the process. Turning the desk lamp on, she bent down to examine the wound. It was about a centimeter long and oozing blood.

The Sgt./Major hurried back in and handed an aid kit to Terry. He bent around her to peer at the wound.

“Something still in there?” he asked.

“Looks like,” said Terry.

She opened the kit and placed it atop the small of Actor’s back. 

“Don’t jump around,” she cautioned.

“I don’t jump,” he informed her indignantly.

“You might change your mind about that when I start digging in there.”

Terry took a piece of gauze and wiped the blood away, using it over her finger to press around the wound. Actor winced.

“Sorry.”

It’s okay. It feels a little larger than a needle.”

“I’m going to numb it up,” said Terry. “Then I’ll have to slit it a little more to get the forceps in. I’m not doing the switchblade routine.”

“I do appreciate that,” said Actor, right arm along his body, left curled under the pillow. His head was turned to his right so he could speak to the girl more easily.

Collins watched as Terry drew up and injected the procaine around the wound. He reached around her with gauze and dabbed the blood away that began flowing more freely with the injection. As they waited for the anesthetic to take effect, the Sgt./Major, and Terry, took note of the cuts and scrapes on his shoulder and back. There was a small abrasion on Actor’s right temple.

“You were the closest?” asked Terry.

“Unfortunately,” answered the con man. “Casino received more damage than the Warden. He was between us.”

“I know. I took care of both of them already.”

Picking up the scalpel, she lightly touched the edge of the wound with the point of the blade. There was no reaction. Carefully, she enlarged the laceration. Collins continued to dab away the blood. Terry took the forceps and, pulling the edges of the wound apart with the thumb and forefinger of her left hand, probed inside. Frowning in concentration, she maneuvered the instrument, grasped and pulled out a long, narrow shard of glass, holding it down so Actor could see it, before dropping it into the trashcan.  
She picked up the needle of the suture with the forceps. Working quickly now, she stitched the wound closed. The cut was liberally sprinkled with sulfa powder and a piece of gauze covered by a plaster followed.

“Could you take this downstairs and boil the instruments?” Terry asked Collins.

“Of course, Miss.” He gathered the items and removed them and himself from the room.

Terry opened a tube of ointment and began applying it to the superficial cuts and abrasions on his back and shoulder. She gently dabbed some on the abraded temple.

“Can you roll on your back and let me take care of the front of you?”

“They are just minor,” said Actor, rolling over.

There was a scattering of abrasions and scratches on the front of his shoulder and chest. She applied the ointment to them and capped the tube.

“I could have done that myself,” he said, though he had made no attempt to stop her.

“I know, but I’m here and you need some rest.” 

She smiled at him and got the crooked smile in return. Glancing at the door, she bent down and lightly brushed a kiss to his lips.

“Are you staying here or at the flat?” asked Actor.

“The flat,” said Terry. “I don’t have the temperament for this.”

Unfortunately, Actor knew exactly what the ‘this’ was or rather who it was. It did not further endear the British Sgt./Major to him.

“Get some rest, caro,” she said quietly. “And someday, I want to hear what went wrong this time.”

Actor smiled at that and nodded.

Terry let herself out of the room and carefully closed the door. With the two used aid kits in her hand, she headed down the hall. The doors to the common room were open and she glanced in, seeing Goniff and Chief. The girl took a detour in, dropping the kits on the table, pulling a chair out and sat down.

“How are you two doing?”

“We’re okay, Love,” assured Goniff.

“Headaches and dizziness getting better?” Terry asked with concern.

Goniff nodded.

She turned to the Indian. “How’s your hip doing, Chiefy?”

He shrugged. “I can walk a little without the cane.” He stared at her with dark eyes. “When you comin’ back for good?”

“When British/American relations are better. I’d start another war here in the Mansion.”

They did not see the Sgt./Major stop outside the door and step up to the wall where he couldn’t be seen but could still hear.

“It’s a ruddy shame you bein’ forced out of here an’ all,” remarked Goniff unhappily.

“I’m not forced out,” said Terry carefully. “It’s my choice. I can’t stand to be idle and I have very little I can do here without a fight.”

“So, what more are you doin’ livin’ in the flat?” Chief wanted to know.

Terry toyed with one of the folded up kits with a forefinger. “I’m over on the Continent more than I’m at the flat.” She shrugged. “It’s better this way.”

“Yeah, it’s better,” said Chief disgustedly. “Goin’ to get yourself killed is what’s going to happen.”

Terry smiled, “I can get killed just as easily going in with you guys.” She looked between the two with affection. “Ok, Guys, I’m going back to Brandonshire. You know where I am. Call the Fox. Kit generally knows if I’m home or not.”

Hearing the chair legs scrap on the floor, Collins straightened and moved back a few feet down the hall. He smiled and bounced into the room.

“Oh, here you are, Miss,” he said with good humor. He pointed to the used aid kits. “I can take care of those for you. Have you had lunch?”

“No,” said Terry. “I have food at home. And the kits are all yours.”

“You’re leaving?” he asked tentatively.

“Yes, I’m leaving.” She turned to the other two. “Come visit me at the Fox and see if you can drag my brother with you.”

“Sure, Terry,” said Goniff with a cheerfulness he didn’t feel.

The girl walked past the British non-com and out the door. Collins picked up the two kits and left the common room. 

Chief turned his head slowly to look at Goniff. “I think we should step up the British/American relations.”

“What do you mean, Chiefy?” asked the Englishman in confusion.

The Indian grinned evilly. “I think we should make him pay for runnin’ her off.”

“Warden ain’t goin’ to like that, Mate,” said Goniff none too convincingly.

“No, he probably isn’t.” Chief’s grin widened. “But we will.”


End file.
